


Rīpekanga

by jadewolf, raptormoon



Series: Adventures of Team Crab [1]
Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: AU, Collaboration, Dismemberment, Evil!Maui, Gen, Giant Murder Crab, Gore, Graphic Violence, Manipulation, Mayhem, Non-Elective Amputation Not Performed By A Medical Professional, People Getting Eaten, Pre-Canon, Serial Killer, Threats, Violence, Violence against monsters, dark au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-09-19 22:34:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 120,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17010429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadewolf/pseuds/jadewolf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptormoon/pseuds/raptormoon
Summary: Long ago, on the island of Rīpekanga, Maui—driven by personal demons—met Tamatoa—a crab comfortable in his prime—and a very different story was told.  It was a story of heroes and monsters and of slaughter and survival.  Two clever adversaries clashed and neither would ever be the same again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A note from jadewolf:
> 
> In partnership with my good friend and co-author raptormoon, I’m thrilled to present this new story to you all! This has been one of the most fun and exciting writing projects I’ve ever worked on and co-writing it with raptor was an absolute joy. She unleashed a villain the likes of which I never expected! And it was a delightful challenge to try and keep up with her clever schemes and plot twists as we charged headlong through this tale.
> 
> I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it. Chapters will be posted over the next several weeks, so stay tuned for more. Now, without further ado, please enjoy a darker take on our favorite demigod and monster crab pair!
> 
> A note from raptormoon:
> 
> It all started with a question I couldn’t get out of my mind: What’s up with Maui’s necklace? Everything - this whole big universe - unfolded as Jadewolf and I extrapolated out from that.
> 
> This has been a journey. It was an incredibly fun adventure creating this story, playing the characters off of each other, and figuring out how the world worked with these forces of nature clashing within it. (It has also served as solid, indisputable PROOF that I can finish longfics! XD)
> 
> Written in a roleplay format, Jadewolf and I take turns telling the story. She brings her prowess as one of the best Tamatoa writers out there to the fore, and I got to enjoy the thrill of letting out my evil side. Together, we have created something truly magical!
> 
> I hope you enjoy the results of our brainstorm, and have as much fun with it as we did!

It was a pleasant, sunny day on a vast, spacious island–spacious enough that even with a bustling human village on a small bay of the leeward side, there was still ample space available for a thriving population of _exotic wildlif_ e.  Indeed, if a human were to try, it was many days walk just to get from one end of the island to the other.  One would have to pass through lushly forested hills and cross sloping, extinct volcanoes, worn and weathered by the eons, to make such an attempt.

And there were many humans who _did_ try.  The island of Rīpekanga was a crossroads of sorts, positioned at the confluence of several major ocean currents.  The single village that huddled around its placid, sheltered cove was a thriving outpost of trade and resupply.There were always new people arriving, a steady stream of traders and pilgrims and visitors that never seemed to abate.  Their village, the nexus of all this activity, was safe and protected, both from the Ocean’s storms by the encircling arms of the cove and from the _exotic wildlife_ by a buffering stand of dense, thick forest.  Despite the safety of their village, however, many often ventured into the wild and dangerous country beyond it, seeking things spoken of only in whispered legends, making a pilgrimage that could cost them their very lives.  Nevertheless, they went out night after night, even knowing the perils inherent in doing so, and indeed, there were _many_ dangers lurking outside their borders.

Beyond the dense forest that shielded the village was where the _exotic wildlife_ dwelled.  The island was home to many monsters of various types, each claiming a swath of land as their own territory.  One such individual was an enormous crab, powerfully built and standing nearly 30′ tall.Still young for his kind, yet well into adulthood at 400 years old, he was a crab in his prime.  His claws were large enough to easily contain a fully grown human male and powerful enough to snap a sturdy breadfruit tree trunk in half without any effort required.All in all, a formidable, fearsome monster who could make short work of most adversaries.

But right now, he was simply basking in the warm sunshine beside the sea on the windward side of the island.  All four of his walking legs were nestled into the soft sand, cozy and comfortable.He had fed well the evening prior and was enjoying a nice, relaxing morning after a hard night of hunting.

He had run into trouble, too.  In the middle of his hunt, he’d run afoul of another monster–that damnable mantis shrimp from up in the hills.  She’d stolen his kill and had very nearly taken his head off in the process.Just thinking about it made him irritable.

Sure, he had made two additional kills to make up for it–there were always more humans straying into the lower forests–but it still rankled him.

But there was no time for that now.  Now was for relaxing and resting while his meal settled.

With a content smile, he idly watched the horizon and wondered if anything interesting might just happen today.

\---

Another day, another island, and already another quest!

Maui had sailed alone this time, leaving a relatively happy island behind him. Following the tradewinds as far as he could stand to, his eyes finally fell upon a large series of peaks, a few puffy clouds encircling the island. Perfect! In short order Maui had arrived in the village and made his presence known.

It had taken less than ten seconds for the mortals to beg for his help. That was probably a record! He was pleased that his reputation had preceded him - it made getting what he wanted so much easier.

The villagers displayed proper respect and offered a feast first, but Maui did his best to politely decline. He had been sailing too long, and had an itch to scratch. He promised they’d feast later.

_Now_ was the time for the hunt.

There were monsters on this island, they had said. Rather a lot of them, it sounded like, and at least three mortals had gone missing just last night. It didn’t take a genius to make that connection.

He transformed into a hawk and set off into the air, flying west along the southern coast. From up above, he could easily identify any signs of unusual activity - anything that wasn’t human.

The island was big, and it was a while before Maui found anything. But what he _did_ find certainly was promising!

Giant monster crab. Right there on the beach, not even looking up.

Now, was this the monster that had made three humans disappear? Maui didn’t know. That meant he’d have to go find out.

Maui transformed back into his human skin right as he flew over the crab. In the moment he hung there, he cracked his neck, getting ready.

Then he fell, fishhook brandished.

“Cheee-hooooo!”

\---

When Tamatoa had wondered if something interesting was going to happen today, this was _not_ what he had in mind!

His peaceful reverie was utterly _shattered_ by a warcry above him.  His eyes curved up just in time to spot a stocky, human-shaped figure plummeting down towards him.  And there was a flash of something large, pale, and curved–a weapon of some sort–in the human’s hands.  No, it couldn’t be a human–humans didn’t just fall out of the sky!And was that a _fishhook?_  He’d heard rumors of a demigod who brandished such a weapon and–

But there was no time to think about that.  He had only needed that split-second glance to realize he was about to be attacked.  But there was little time to act beyond getting out of the way.Throwing off a shower of sand, he leapt out of dirt and dove to the side to avoid the onrushing, maybe-a-demigod assailant.

\---

The best part of letting his targets know that he was coming was watching how they reacted. This particular crab looked up then tried to dodge: curious, startled, and defensive.

Maui grinned. This was gonna be _fun_.

The monster’s dodge hadn’t been nearly far enough away, though. With a tilt and a flip Maui adjusted his course and landed right atop the creature’s back. Its head was already turning to look at him; Maui ran forward to grab an eye-stalk -that looked sensitive!- and yanked it down.

“Good morning!” he greeted, staring the crab right in the eye, hook held ready in his other hand. “I’m out this morning, making the neighborhood rounds, because several mortals went missing last night. You wouldn’t happen to have any information about that, would you?”

He paused for just a moment, to let the tension build. “Oh, right! Forgot to introduce myself! My bad.” He grinned, but it was at odds with his friendly tone.

“The name’s Maui. Demigod of the wind and sea. You may have heard of me.”

\---

The dodge had been hasty and, thus, when the demigod landed on his back Tamatoa had far too much forward momentum to keep his balance. He stumbled and went down, landing sprawled on the sand. No sooner had he turned his head to look than the demigod had grabbed his eyestalk and yanked his whole head down with it.

Tamatoa let out an undignified yelp of pain. That _hurt!_  And it was playing _dirty!_ But it was also quite effective. He hadn’t been taken down so fast and so unexpectedly since a certain big female had flipped him during mating season more than two centuries ago.

And this was already shaping up to be a _far_ less pleasant experience.

Now while staring at him, eye-to-eye, the presumed demigod was shaking him down about missing mortals.  And, why yes, he _was_ responsible for at least a few of them, but the next thing his attacker said made him pause.

_Maui._

His eyes went a little wide at that, recognition blooming in them.  Oh yes, he’d heard _that_ name before.  Maui may be famous among the humans for more benign things, but amongst monsters he was known as a monster killer.  One of those _hero_ types, always out harassing monsters who were just trying to live their lives.

And beyond that, Tamatoa had heard enough to know that Maui was _dangerous_.

His claws, which had already been coming up to try and remove the creature from his shell, hesitated and Tamatoa’s captive eye glanced warily between the demigod and the sharply barbed hook brandished right next to it.

He was in a very bad spot, caught off guard and in a position to potentially lose an eye if he wasn’t careful–an eye if he was _lucky._

The first thing that bubbled out was a vehement denial.  “Hey man,” he reeled off, “I don’t know anything about any missing mortals!”

It wasn’t delivered as strong as it could have been, but he needed to buy at least a few minutes of time to come up with something better to get out of this.

\---

Maui raised an eyebrow at the vehement protest.

“Oh no?” he asked. Bringing his hook up just a little closer to the captive eye, he turned away to make a show of looking the crab up and down, taking in his size. “You look big enough to make a meal outta three. And I tend to be a pretty lucky guy.”

He looked back, meeting that eye again. “So what do you think the odds are that I found the right monster on the first try?” He squeezed his hand around that eyestalk, just a little - just enough to make a point.

\---

Tamatoa’s eye very nearly bulged and he made a small squeak of sound that had no business coming from a crab his size as his rather delicate eyestalk was squeezed.  That really, really hurt!But he pushed the pain away; he had to focus here!

His eye looked again between the demigod and the hook, uncomfortably close and very sharp looking.  Even if he might be able to scrape by in a fight against Maui, there was no way he could even initiate one without losing his eye in the process at this point.  And he was very attached to that eye!

“Well, you got the _wrong_ monster this time!” he insisted.

After all, he hadn’t eaten _three_.  He had eaten _two_ and that damn mantis shrimp had stolen the third one and he was still sore abou–

The idea swept over him like a crashing wave.  The mantis shrimp!Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone here.  If he could convince this demigod that _he_ was innocent and pin the blame on the mantis shrimp, maybe he could be rid of both.  Let Maui go kill the competition–making life infinitely easier for Tamatoa–then, preferably, Maui would leave the island to go harass some other monsters.  The more he thought about it, the more appealing it sounded.It was perfect.Everybody wins!

And so as soon as the thought crystalized, he ran with it.

“It wasn’t me!” he repeated, just for emphasis.  “But..”

He paused for a beat, trying very hard not to let a smile creep onto his face.

“I saw who it was.”

\---

Well, this was an interesting turn of events. Not the denial, of course, any monster that could talk would be denying that accusation up and down.

But willingly sharing information? Ratting out someone else? Hmmmm, _very_ interesting.

“Is that so?” he asked, tilting his head a bit to the side. He slowly, deliberately, lowered his hook. Stepped back the threat. Played along.

“And what can you tell me about them?”

If it was another monster, well, he’d be willing to listen. If it wasn’t…

If it wasn’t, well, he wasn’t exactly letting go of that eye, either.

\---

It was _not_ lost on Tamatoa that his eye hadn’t been released yet, nor the not-so-subtle threat that implied.  He’d have to be careful with this one.

But he was _happy_ to divulge this information.  His pride had definitely been wounded last night and a little payback went a long way towards soothing that hurt.  So he launched into a description without delay.

“There’s a giant mantis shrimp–you know what those are, yeah?  Well, she’s big–a bit bigger than me–and mean as all hell.Last night, she was down here in the lowlands–”   _His_ lowlands.  This was _his_ territory and she had been encroaching on it! “–and I _personally_ saw her eating a human.”  One that she had stolen from _him_ , hmph!

He paused a moment, pretending to try and recall more details.  “Hmm.Looked like a stocky fella too, long hair, tattoos on his shoulder from what I could see–or, at least, what I could see of what was left of him.”  He’d been a pleader, too.Had pathetically begged for his life, but Maui didn’t need to know that.“I didn’t stick around long.”

The bait laid out now, Tamatoa’s eye looked expectantly at Maui.  He wasn’t giving everything away at once, no.He needed some assurances first.

“Let go of my eye and and let me up.. and I’ll even show you where to find her.”

\---

“Is that so?” Maui asked, despite himself. He barely listened to the crab’s description of the human victim, far more interested in the monster he described. Mantis shrimp monsters were pretty rare, and _way_ more dangerous, even accounting for increased size, than their mortal, animal counterparts.

Sounded like fun.

And being led right _to_ the mantis shrimp would save him the trouble of hunting it down later. He sized up the crab again, taking in those claws… he could have this fight now, or he could wait to see if the crab was telling the truth and get an even better fight out of it. Even if the crab was lying, a wild gull chase would only postpone the inevitable.

After a moment of deliberation, he decided: yeah, it would be worth the wait.

He released the eye. “Well, you’ve got my attention.” He swung his weapon forward again, hooked it under the lip of the crab’s shell… right above the center of the back of his neck. He adjusted his grip and his stance, bracing for the ride. Then he smirked, knowing full well this wasn’t what the crab had meant by ‘let me up.’

“Lead the way!”

\---

Tamatoa was relieved to have his eye released, but when the hold on it was replaced by a hook under the edge of his shell, it left him feeling uneasy.  If Maui was truly as strong and powerful as rumor claimed, it wasn’t difficult to believe he could pry even Tamatoa’s sturdy shell open.And the barbed tip of that hook was uncomfortably close to Tamatoa’s neck.  It made him nervous.

But he _refused_ to show it.  He knew first hand that creatures showing weakness to someone like this could be fatal.  He himself had killed often enough on that very premise, after all.

So instead, he shook his head, eyestalks wobbling as he let everything settle back into place after being so unpleasantly manhandled.  And since the demigod was clearly not going to get off of him, he clambered back up to stand in the jerkiest, most ungainly way possible.  Maybe he’d get lucky and Maui would just fall off.But even if that was unlikely, at least he could make the demigod’s ride as uncomfortable as possible.

With that in mind, he tromped off in a rough gait, making sure to jostle and bounce as much as he could without it seeming deliberate.

“She lives up in the hills,” he told the demigod.  “It’s not too far.Maybe you’ll luck out and catch her asleep.”

\---

While it was far from the smoothest ride Maui’d ever had, the crab was submitting well enough. Maui relaxed and looked around as they made their way, listening still as the monster spoke.

“Pff,” he dismissed the idea of starting the battle while the mantis shrimp slept. “No challenge in that. And besides, an enemy who knows I’m coming is an enemy who has a chance to know fear.”

His smirk firmly in place, Maui remembered how this very same crab had reacted when he’d announced his presence. This encounter had taken a different turn, but in his experience, scared opponents were cagey and much more vicious - and were much more of a challenge.

The break in pattern with this crab had him wondering: why didn’t he want to fight? He was plenty big and likely more than strong enough to be a challenge. Perhaps he lacked experience. Or maybe he had other motives in mind.

Maui wasn’t too concerned. The crab would show his true colors soon enough, one way or another.

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae twitched.  This guy was just _spoiling_ for a fight.  And that line about “knowing fear” spoke volumes.  But it was a little surprising, too.It was hardly a _heroic_ sentiment.  Again he was reminded to watch his step with this demigod.

But Tamatoa _did_ have a motive.  He wanted his petty revenge on that shrimp.  And he wanted to get rid of the competition.Maybe he could even annex her territory, too.  He’d grown a lot in his last molt and would really like a more spacious chunk of land to inhabit.

So, he kept cautious.. but also kept going.  He was getting what he wanted and as soon as that was done, he could part ways with this bellicose demigod and get on with his life.

“Well, if she’s asleep just wake her up first,” he replied, offhand.

Tamatoa didn’t really care, one way or the other.  As long as she was gone.

The terrain began to change and he climbed up the hillside, angling to where the forests thinned some and began to give way to rocky walls filled with a multitude of cavernous holes.  He didn’t know which one was hers, but his antennae were held low to the ground, seeking the shrimp’s scent.He’d find it soon enough.

\---

Yep, this looked like a place for monsters. Lots of hidey holes, lots of places to corner little lost prey. Plus, the crab was scenting around with his antennae… they must be close.

“You know, waking her up, that’s not such a bad idea, is it?” he asked, offhand but with glee beginning to bubble up beneath his skin. “And shrimp like that, they eat crabs like you, don’t they?”

Maui’s grin may have been a bit manic as he began to plan. “Nothing like good, old-fashioned bait to lure a monster out.” He looked down at the crab, eyes flashing, and adjusted his hook just enough that it pressed, gently, on the back of its neck.

“Why don’t you start singing?” he suggested.

It wasn’t a suggestion.

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae halted and he turned his head, incredulous, to look back at Maui.  “Excuse me?” he nearly sputtered.

Then his eyes narrowed, anger rising in him.  That jab about mantis shrimp eating crabs had really sharpened his anger to a fine point, too.  It was enough that he could temporarily ignore the press of the hook against his neck, but the rather sadistic smile on Maui’s face sent an involuntary chill running through him nevertheless.

He was going to stand firm on this one, though.  “I don’t think so,” he told him, tone flat but final.  “I brought you up here, but that’s it. _You_ seem to want to fight her pretty bad, _you_ draw her out.”

He flicked his antennae, dismissive.

“Besides, I can’t concentrate on finding which lair is hers if I’m busy doing your work for you.”

He angled his antennae back towards the ground and walked on, imagining that to be the final word on the matter.

\---

Maui quirked an eyebrow, silent for a moment; a little surprised at the crab’s words. That was a lot of backbone for something that didn’t have a spine.

“What, you’re not gonna offer yourself up as bait to save your friend, your good ol’ pal Maui?” The sarcasm was thick, but playful.

Maui let a beat of silence pass - timing was everything.

“Okay!” he continued, offhandedly cheerful. He removed his fishhook from the lip of the crab’s shell and walked off to the side of it. He stuck his hook out as far as he could reach, scraping it lightly against the stone wall beside them. The sound that came of it was high-pitched and grating on the ears.

“Hey, shrimpy!” he bellowed out. “Don’t mind me and crab-cake, just taking a stroll through your territory! Just two guys out minding their own business, don’t need to be snuck up on or anything!”

That was _sure_ to lure the shrimp out, asleep or not. Maui’d bet his necklace on it.

\---

Tamatoa rolled his eyes at Maui’s sarcasm, though not where the demigod could see him do it.

But then he was caught off guard _once again_ by Maui’s sudden racket.  This was _not_ what he intended!  He was gonna drop this idiot off outside the right lair, then beat a hasty retreat.  But now, with all that yelling, she was _sure_ to—

There came a warbling cry, echoing out of the caverns.  Yep, that was her.

Tamatoa winced, last night’s events still fresh in his mind.  He had _no_ desire to get involved in any fight with her again.

“Okay, _demigod_ ,” he said quickly.  “That’s her.And this is your stop.  Get off.”

There was a scraping sound coming from the second cavern down from them.  The sound of many hard legs tapping against stone, growing closer by the second.

Tamatoa wanted no part of this fight.

\---

Anticipation rising, Maui barely spared the crab a second glance. “Oh, if you’re _scared,_ that’s fine. I can take her,” he taunted. He looked ahead to to where the monster noises were echoing out, and stretched his arms out in front of him before cracking his knuckles.

Then he leaped off the crab’s shell, yelling his usual warcry, and landing right in front of the cave, hook brandished, predatory grin slashed across his face.

\---

Tamatoa wasted _no_ time in getting the hell out of the way.  He’d conned Maui into doing this so that _he_ didn’t have to.  So as soon as Maui leapt off his shell, Tamatoa made himself scarce, vanishing off into the cover provided by the forest.  And he didn’t stop to watch, either.No sense hanging around to get caught in the crossfire.He just kept going, heading back for his own territory.

Maybe he’d luck out and the two of them, the demigod and the mantis shrimp, would kill each other.  But either way, he’d find out in due time whether the deed was done. 

And so he was out of sight when the mantis shrimp emerged from her den.  She was, indeed, rather enormous.She had a good ten feet on Tamatoa in height and was far longer bodied, head-to-telson.  The mantis shrimp was an absolute riot of color, rainbow hues decorating her in ways almost too strange to be real.

But what was most noteworthy was the mass of tiny round shapes, bright reddish orange–each with a tiny black spot, that she carried in the little maxillipeds on her front end.  It was a mass of eggs, hundreds of them freshly laid just this morning.She clung protectively to them, even as she tiredly emerged to see what all the fuss was about.Her raptorial appendages–the fearsome clubs with which she could strike an attacker with the force of a wrecking ball, were clutching her egg mass as well–leaving her primary weapons tied up and useless.

The new mother was defenseless.

\---

Maui eyed his opponent, taking note of the eggs held between her fighting arms. This… well, it wasn’t gonna be the fight he’d been promised, but it also looked like he’d be clearing out a problem before it got any bigger.

“Hello, Miss Mantis Shrimp!” he called out. “My name’s Maui, and I’ve heard tell that you’ve eaten some mortals recently. And that’s just not gonna do, you know?” He shook his head, chastising.

“If you wanna put those down somewhere before we start, you’ve got thirty seconds to do it.” He crouched into a fighting stance, hook brandished. It wasn’t gonna matter, in the end, except that she might get a few good hits of her own in. But Maui was gonna win this fight, and he’d feed the caviar to the villagers in their feast, later.

What goes around, comes around, after all.

\---

The mantis shrimp began backing away almost immediately, urgently chittering something in her own language.  It appeared she didn’t speak the common tongue, but instead spoke something entirely foreign.But there was little mistaking the fear in her tone, nor the foreign words that were likely appeals for mercy.

But even she could see that the look on Maui’s face was not one inclined to deliver mercy.  So, she turned tail and bolted back towards one of her caves where she _did_ hastily set the egg mass down–a feat only possible because they had been laid so recently as to not yet be firmly cemented in place.

Then, she whipped around lightning fast to face Maui.  She was tired, exhausted really, from laying all those eggs.  But she would defend them anyway.She raised one of her raptorial appendages and darted forward to meet Maui.

\---

Maui watched patiently as the monster did exactly as he’d suggested, the one small note of grim satisfaction entirely drowned out by the wave of adrenaline crashing through him. When she turned and charged, Maui was ready to meet her.

He bellowed his war cry again and swung with his hook, crunching it into the limb bearing down on him. The exoskeleton shattered and blue blood sprayed out. He hastily wiped it out of his eyes and readied for the next attack.

\---

She screamed, a high, horrifyingly alien sound, as her appendage was shattered.  Built to withstand incredible forces, it was still no match for magical fishhooks and demigod strength.  Bleeding and badly wounded, she let the injured limb drop and fall away to stop the loss of fluids.

Nevertheless, even through her pain, she glanced back at the cave where her eggs were waiting–getting a quick glimpse of them one more time.  She _had_ to defend them. 

Drawing back her remaining weapon, she made another desperate charge.

\---

Tired, clumsy, _distracted…_ Maui sighed. Too easy.

Good thing he already knew where he might find something else to fight.

The mantis shrimp punched with her remaining arm, but Maui simply sidestepped the blow. As fast as the shrimp herself, his own arm shot out and he grabbed the offensive limb, holding it still.

He looked up to meet her eyes, a frown across his face and disappointment rising.

“Well, you tried.”

Then he _yanked_ , pulling her forward to meet his hook, dead center in her face. It sliced into her, _through_ her, before she had any chance to react. A moment later, there was no mantis shrimp; only two halves of her, laying on the ground, blue blood oozing into a growing pool.

Maui glanced around at the remains, noting what had recently been eaten, then nodded to himself. Then he set off into the cave to collect the eggs, certain the mortals would find them _delicious._

They’d be hard to carry as a hawk, though, so if he wanted them back to the village by sundown, he’d have to go that way directly. Oh well! The crab could wait.

It would give Maui something to do tomorrow.

\---

Meanwhile, Tamatoa had returned back to the lowlands feeling pretty good about himself.  He’d avoided the demigod’s wrath _and_ he’d dealt with that bad neighbor who had humiliated him last night.  So, off he went back to his home territory in a pleasant mood.

He spent the rest of the afternoon dozing, forgoing his favorite beach to instead stay somewhere a bit more secluded–deeper in the forest and under plenty of cover.  You know.Just in case.

He didn’t stir again till nightfall, when he went out to make his own nightly rounds.  First stop was back up in the hills, where the scent of shrimp blood soaked into the earth confirmed that the demigod had dispatched his neighbor.  Scavengers had already made off with any remains, however, so he didn’t get any dinner out of it.

No matter.  He was plenty capable of getting his own meals.  He set back off into the forest, where he spent the rest of the evening hunting down somewhat inebriated humans in pitch dark night.  They must have been having a hell of a party, because he hadn’t seen so many drunken fools out in the jungle in ages.

By dawn, he was napping again.  Once again, he avoided his favorite beach–much though it disappointed him to do it.  Instead, he slept in a cavern deep in the forest–which he hoped would afford him a little more privacy and a little fewer godly interruptions.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning was grey and dreary, and with the sunrise came clouds full of rain that poured down across the island. It wasn’t all that much fun to fly in the rain, though, so Maui made other arrangements to circle back around to find his new friend.

Luckily, _swimming_ in the rain was a piece of coconut cake.

The festivities the night before had been lively, even raucous, and Maui had enjoyed himself thoroughly. Boasted with stories about his heroic exploits, listened to the rumors floating through the village about the island and what _else_ inhabited it, and, all night, tried to ignore the itch that was persisting under his skin.

In the morning, there was dire news: more missing humans. But nobody would point him in any direction, no one dared venture out with him. Normally, this would have presented a problem; this time, however, Maui already had an idea of whom to ask.

His shark form sliced through the water quickly and easily, and even though that beach from yesterday looked very different from the water than it had looked from the sky, he still found it with little trouble.

Crab-cake wasn’t there, of course. Maui hadn’t expected him to be. Any smart, self-preserving monster would stay well-clear of anyplace they’d encountered _him_ , after all.

But Maui doubted that the crab was all that far away.

The rain was still pouring by the time he came across a well-hidden cavern, and he might have missed it altogether if not for a slight, flickering blue glow from within. There indeed was his ride from yesterday, asleep. So deeply asleep, in fact, that it seemed he couldn’t keep his bioluminescence under control.

He slung his hook over his shoulder and walked right in. The monster crab remained sleeping, even as Maui took a look around; even as he walked right up to the soft, fleshy face. He crossed his arms over his chest, considering…

The crab’s antennae lay limply on the ground. Another sensitive appendage, Maui was sure of it. A small smirk playing across his lips, he reached down to gently run a single finger up one appendage. Then, just as the crab’s eyes began to flutter open from the sensation, he grasped it firmly and _tugged._

“Good morning to you, Crab-cake! I hope you slept well; I’ve got a few more _questions_ for ya’.”

\---

Tamatoa had been having such a comfortable sleep filled with such lovely dreams.  Just on that hazy edge where dreams and reality start to mingle, the pleasing feeling of a gentle touch on his antenna began to rouse him.  Yes, that was _nice_.  That was–

Any pleasant thoughts were immediately cut off by the harsh wakeup call he received after that–painful, jarring, and blindingly intense.  He bolted awake with a nearly anguished yowl of pain. His eyes snapped up and open, only to be greeted by the shocking image of the demigod standing before him _again_.

The string of incoherent curses that fell from his lips could have set tapa cloth to smoking.

When words started to form technical sentences again, the first one to appear was:  “What the _hell_ , man?!”

\---

Maui raised an eyebrow at the stream of curses pouring from the crab’s lips, but said nothing, not wanting to interrupt until the monster was finally done.  
  
And when that moment came, he calmly answered, “Just wondering if you’re hungry this morning. Thought we might go get something to _eat_ together.”

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes narrowed, immediately suspicious. _Immediately suspicious._   
  
But, the plain fact was that Tamatoa was always hungry.  And patently incapable of turning down a free meal. Still, though, he was not pleased about his rude awakening.   
  
“Well,” he began loftily.  “If that’s all you wanted, there was no need to–”  He casually reached a claw up to slide Maui’s hand off his antenna in much the same way as he might run his claw along them while grooming.  ”–be so rude about it.”

\---

Maui snorted a quiet laugh, but let his hand be removed from the crab’s appendage. This one sure was bold, if not particularly brave.  
  
“Well, no, I’m afraid that’s not all I wanted.” He stuck his hook in the ground and leaned against it, making himself comfortable - and solidly between the crab and the exit.   
  
“See, at the village last night, the mortals hosted a feast to celebrate the death of the monster that had been killing mortals. So imagine our surprise when we realize that even more had gone missing. During the feast, no less. They weren’t very happy with me this morning. And that makes _me_ unhappy, you know?”   
  
He held up a hand to forestall the protestations that he knew were coming the moment the crab opened his mouth.   
  
“And even if you tell me again that it wasn’t you, I think you should know that I only found the remains of _one_ human inside that shrimp. And there were _three_ of them missing, as of yesterday.”   
  
He flicked his fingers around, pantomiming counting. “So no matter which way you slice it, somebody else on this island is eating the villagers.”   
  
Maui looked the monster dead in the eye. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

\---  
  
Well, of course he knew _plenty_ about it.  But it was a testament to Tamatoa’s nerve that he managed to keep his guilt out of his face, even as the demigod conspicuously placed himself blocking the exit.   
  
He had to play this carefully.   
  
“Listen, _Maui–_ ”  He used the demigod’s name for once, for emphasis.  And because names held a power of their own. “–I am not the only monster on this island, you know.  There’s scores of them. All over the place! Why don’t you go hassle them about this. I told you what I saw and, clearly–”  Even Tamatoa was a little disturbed that Maui had gone looking through shrimp guts. “–you saw the truth of it. Why are you still bothering me?”

\---

Maui gave him a long, slow, and very considering look. He hadn’t lied, so far as Maui could catch him out. He was being agreeable this morning, despite his wake-up call and the pressure Maui was putting him under. And he’d been helpful yesterday.  
  
The demigod wondered what he’d find if he split _him_ in two, as well.   
  
A small smile crept up onto his face. He could save that for later.   
  
He stood and threw a wide, boisterous grin at the crab, casually tossing his hook back over his shoulder. “Because you’re my buddy! And I’m taking you out to breakfast! Come on, you can show me all the best spots.” He turned and began marching back out of the cavern, but stopped only a few steps away. He turned to look back at the crab, a questioning look on his face.   
  
“So, hey, I never actually caught your name?” He looked up at the monster expectantly.   
  
\---

Tamatoa hesitated.  He didn’t want to give this demigod his name, for the same reason he had elected to use Maui’s name moments before.  But he knew that if he refused, he’d only arouse suspicion.  
  
Somewhere in the back of his mind, there was a nagging little feeling that he couldn’t quite place.  Later, he might come to realize what it was–but by then it would be too late.   
  
Reluctantly, he answered.  “Tamatoa.”   
  
Ignoring that nagging feeling, he turned his mind to breakfast.  He had fed well last night, but that was a good long nap ago and he could still go for a snack.  Something… innocuous.   
  
He tilted his antennae–one of which was still smarting from that unfriendly yank–gathering the fresh scent of rain outside.  “If it’s raining, the fish will be up. Breakfast?”

\---

Maui didn’t miss the hesitation before the crab answered, but ignored it. If the crab was uneasy with him, that was fine by Maui.  
  
“Tamatoa,” he repeated, trying the name out. His eyes crinkled in the corners, genuinely delighted. “I like it! Tamatoa, you’re my new best friend. Come on!”   
  
He beckoned for the monster crab to follow him, then spun on his heel and continued marching his way out of the cavern.   
  
“Fish sounds great! More like brunch than breakfast by now, but eh, who’s counting, right? Want me to do the cooking? I brought fire up here, you know, back when-”   
  
Maui continued his rambling as he emerged into the still-pouring rain, certain he’d be followed.

\---

Tamatoa followed, albeit still reluctantly.  He definitely didn’t want to be _best friends_ with this capricious, unsettling semigod.  But he at least recognized that it was better than being counted as an enemy.   
  
So, Tamatoa left the cavern with him and stepped out into the rain, barely listening to Maui ramble on about himself.  He did have to admit that his antennae perked at the prospect of a cooked meal, though. He’d often enough smelled the cooking fires of the village with great interest, but had never managed to sample anything they produced. Giant crabs weren’t exactly invited to human feasts, after all.  Of course, that didn’t really bother him much, as he had plenty of human feasts of his own devising.   
  
Still, he was curious. So when they emerged, he lead the demigod back down to his beach, where—when he was of a mind to–he could fish with ease.   
  
Upon arrival, he didn’t wait for Maui.  He simply waded into the water until his abdomen just barely cleared the gentle waves–deeper than the demigod was tall.  He dangled the ends of his antennae in the water, serving both to detect the presence of fish in the water and to act as a lure to bring them in close.   
  
He was fairly practiced at this, though it was far from his preferred meal.  Fish were cold and slippery and, even on a successful day, didn’t yield much to eat for the amount of time involved.  He could live off it, but his tastes ran towards warmer meals.   
  
And fishing took a fair amount of calm patience, too.  Too much agitation would scare them off. So, Tamatoa tried to relax and not think about his new, unwanted, unsettling companion.

\---

The rain had, luckily, let up by the time Tamatoa had led them to the beach. Maui was glad for it - he could start a fire anywhere, but it was much easier to keep it going when the sky wasn’t constantly trying to put it out.  
  
So he got some driftwood, and started a fire. Then he planted himself into the sand next to it, looking out across the water to watch Tamatoa.   
  
The crab obviously knew what he was doing, and Maui was impressed at his patience. The demigod had never been a good fisherman - in fact, he was worse than most, and it had become a running joke among his peers - and so had learned to feed himself, and occupy his time, in other ways.   
  
Maui wondered, absently, if Tamatoa was so good at fishing, how good at hunting might he be?   
  
But he wasn’t threatening. He was actually entertaining, and Maui wondered how far he might push that. And the crab could, potentially, be useful - he’d led Maui to one monster already. Perhaps he knew where others were, too.   
  
He traced his fingers lightly over his fishhook, the pads of his fingertips catching on the textures carved in, as he watched Tamatoa.

\---

It was easier to forget about the disconcerting demigod while he had a task to perform and fishing was a task that required some focus.  So, for a blissful little while, he was able to be at peace while he snatched curious groupers and hefty parrotfish out of the water with fast, precise snaps of his claws.  
  
When he finally waded out of the water, what he had was barely a meal for just him.  Shared between them, it was hardly a snack. But truthfully, he a snack was all he needed so soon after a serious meal anyway.   
  
So, he dumped the fish near Maui, eyeballing the fire curiously but without comment.  Then he settled himself on the beach. He kept his legs on top of the sand this time, though, and with plenty of space between him and the untrustworthy demigod.  He was carefully positioned so that it would be fast and easy to get up if necessary. It was obvious that he wasn’t taking any chances right now.

\---

Without comment, Maui put one of the large grouper over the fire to start roasting. He looked over the rest of the catch; it wasn’t very much.  
  
Maybe the crab wasn’t all that hungry yet.   
  
He smiled at Tamatoa. “You’re a better fisher than I am, that’s for sure!” He leaned back, laying down in the sand, and pillowed his head with his hands.   
  
“Me? Nah, I can start fires-” he nodded to the one between them, crackling merrily away, “- or pull up islands or get the wind blowing in the right direct or kill the monsters. But fish?” He shook his head, sadly. “Fish are just too slippery for me. I gave up on that a loooonnnng time ago.” He shrugged, looking up at the still-cloudy sky.   
  
“What about you, Tamatoa?” he asked, and looked back at the crab. “What kinds of things do you do to pass the time?”

\---

Tamatoa narrowed his eyes, just slightly.  Seemed that Maui was pretty good at one kind of fishing, anyway.  And Tamatoa didn’t appreciate it.  
  
“I collect shiny seashells,” he quipped, sarcasm coloring his tone.   
  
He damn sure wasn’t about to tell him what he really got up to.   
  
As the fish started roasting, his antennae drifted forward.  It actually smelled rather enticing. And it made a good change of subject.   
  
“You just put it over the fire?  That’s it?” he asked, gesturing with a claw at the cooking fish.  He was genuinely curious, too. Already he was considering how he could make fire work for him like this.  If it tasted as good as it smelled, it was worth pursuing.

\---

Maui snorted at Tamatoa’s reply, but let it drop. Instead he sat up again, motioning to the fire with a proud smile.  
  
“That’s it!” he confirmed. “I mean, there’s lots of other ways to cook things, and lots of things to cook. But that’s the gist of it: stick food in the heat, don’t let it catch fire. Then you’ve got cooked food.”   
  
He cocked his head, considering. “Actually, my favorite? Pork. You ever had bacon?”

\---

The crab tilted his shell in a shrug and shook his head.  He’d had pigs, sure–when he was a bit smaller, he had hunted the feral ones and stolen the domestic ones as his primary food source.  But bacon? He wasn’t familiar.  
  
He also didn’t think it was a good idea to get too chatty about his own eating habits.  So, he pushed the conversation where he wanted it once more.   
  
“How do you know when it’s done?”   
  
It smelled lovely.  Surely that meant it was done?

\---

“Oh, it depends on what you’re cooking, and how done you like it. Usually it changes color and texture. Pork goes from pink to white, shellfish-” and he looked again at those big claws his companion sported, “-turns red. Fish like this? Mostly it stops being goopy.”  
  
He grinned crookedly but stood, then removed the skewer from the fire. Using his hook, he sliced a good chunk out of the fish for himself, then held the stick out to Tamatoa.   
  
“Here, try it, tell me what you think. Cooking makes everything better.” Still looking at the crab, he brought his own chunk of fish up to his mouth and took a bite right out of it.

\---  
  
Tamatoa did not miss the look the demigod cast his way.  It gave him a prickly feeling under his exoskeleton, almost like the itchy, uncomfortable feeling before a molt.  He didn’t like it. And he liked the subtle implications even less.   
  
He was quite a large crab and he was used to being–with a few exceptions, one of which being that now-dead mantis shrimp–the biggest monster around.  And having this little demigod look at him like that was more than just disquieting, it was downright insulting. His pride was pricked up at it, but he sternly reminded himself to play it cool for now.   
  
After all, Maui had dispatched that mantis shrimp and came back without a scratch.  And Tamatoa didn’t really want to find out just how powerful and capable the demigod really was.  Not yet, anyway. Not right now.   
  
So, he bit his tongue and accepted the skewer.  His antennae flitted over it, tasting the air around it.  He’d smelled stuff like this afar for so long. Now that he had a chance to try some, he wanted to get the full experience.  He took a experimental bite.   
  
He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face.  That was quite the improvement. It dissipated all the things that made fish less attractive.  It was warm, it had better flavor, and even the texture seemed better. Color him impressed.   
  
He made short work of the rest of the fish on the skewer, leaving not even a scrap behind.   
  
“That.. was pretty good,” he admitted afterwards, perhaps the first wholly honest thing he’d said to the demigod yet.   
  
His mind was already considering possibilities.  Wondering how he could make use of this. Wondering how _other_ things would taste after being treated with fire.   
  
Of course, that would actually require the _use_ of fire.  Which he had no idea how to get.   
  
He glanced at Maui.  Probably wasn’t a good time to ask.

\---

Maui watched as Tamatoa ate his share of the grouper; eating his own piece absently, almost as an afterthought. He could tell the crab enjoyed it; he could also tell the monster was _thinking_ about it.   
  
_What are you imagining, Tamatoa?_ he thought. But he wasn’t going to ask. No, his new friend was clearly unsettled and uncomfortable. Maui wouldn’t be getting anything new from him now, not unless he backed off.   
  
So he swallowed the last of his meal and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Tamatoa glanced at him, and he held that look for a long moment, before he gave the crab a benign, almost lazy smile.   
  
“Well, I’m off!” he announced, breaking the quiet between them. “I’ll leave the fire going for ya’, you can try your ha- er, claw at roasting up the rest of the fish. Thanks for the snack, by the way.”   
  
He looked out to the treeline again, and then beyond, to the tall peaks that rose in the middle of the island. Seemed a likely place! He pointed his fishhook out towards them.   
  
“I’m heading that way. See ya’ later, Tamatoa.”   
  
Without another word, he walked off into the trees and disappeared from sight.

\---  
  
Tamatoa blinked, surprised at Maui’s abrupt departure.  For a long, long series of moments, he didn’t move. Antennae held alert and quivering slightly with tension, he searched the air for any sign, any sound or scent, of the demigod doubling back or lingering to spy upon him.   
  
But there was none.  He was alone. _Finally_.   
  
Relief washed over him, happy to be rid of the disquieting weirdo.  Now maybe things could go back to normal.   
  
He looked down at the fire, still crackling, and the pile of fish, then glanced up again to scan the area once more.   
  
Then he shrugged.  He was an opportunistic monster, after all, and a curious one.  He spent the next hour or so trying to mimic what Maui had done with the fish.   
  
Much to his disappointment, the fire ran down before the fish did, as Tamatoa had no way of knowing how to properly tend to one to keep it burning. Besides, he wasn’t really all that hungry anymore. There were still a few fish left, but he wasn’t interested. He pushed them back into the sea for the scavengers, then headed inland.   
  
Still unsettled by his rude awakening, he made his way to a different hidey hole in his territory.  He had several and, today, he was glad of it. Once relocated to someplace he considered safe, Tamatoa settled back down to finish the nap he had started.  It was too early in the day to be up and about.   
  
And hopefully when he woke up this evening, everything would be back to normal and he could pretend none of this ever happened.

\---

Maui did not go directly to the mountains.  
  
No, with the rain gone, he took to the air and returned to the village. He basked in the glow of the mortals’ attention for a few minutes before giving them a stern warning: Stay inside the village. Stay inside until he came back.   
  
There were protestations, of course, about food and water and this and that and all sorts of things he couldn’t care less about.   
  
“Listen,” he said. “I’m gonna go hunt down a monster or two to stop them from hunting you, but I may have riled up a few other big bads out there and I’m sure they’d love to get back at me by eating each and every one of you. So just don’t be stupid, stay here until I’m back, and you’ll all be fine!”   
  
There were grumbles, then, but nobody argued further. They’d be fine for a couple days, though, sheesh. If the mortals wanted him to protect them, well, this was how he did it.   
  
After that, he set out once more. Those peaks were truly his destination now: prime monster territory, the tops of mountains. He knew that from experience. Maui was certain he’d find a good fight up there.   
  
The mantis shrimp that Tamatoa had taken him to had been unbearably disappointing. He hadn’t even bothered to take a trophy, not beyond the eggs he’d carried back and fed to the humans. He needed to go fight. He needed that thrill of adrenaline, the splash of blood, the power that came with being who he was.   
  
He was Maui. Shapeshifter. Trickster.   
  
Killer.


	3. Chapter 3

For Tamatoa, all appearances were that life was back to normal.  
  
Nevertheless, he stuck to less risky prey the first night after Maui’s departure, spending his evening fishing and tracking down feral hogs.  He was playing it safe, just in case.But cold, uncooked fish held even less appeal than normal after getting to try cooked fish.He ate it anyway, but it left him unsatisfied and disappointed.  
  
To Tamatoa’s great relief, Maui didn’t show up the next day.  And with that, he considered the matter closed.By the second evening, he’d grown tired of bland, soggy fish and went back to his preferred hunting grounds.  
  
And found them empty.  
  
He spent the entire night scouring the lowland forests, but there was nothing to be found.  By morning, he was left with empty claws, an empty stomach, and a foul temper.  
  
After a very disgruntled nap, he trudged down to the beach to get back to work fishing–muttering angrily the entire time.  Of course, fishing required calm and fish can always sense tension.So while he managed to catch some, it was not as much as he would have liked.  Needless to say, he was left wanting at the end of the third night.He wasn’t starving mind you.He could feed himself just fine without relying on two-legged prey.  But he was damn grumpy about it, particularly on top of his agitation with the demigod days prior.  
  
A good, undisturbed sleep would improve his mood, though.  And then he’d go hit the beach again, calmer and more patient, to bring in a better catch and everything would be fine.

\---

Well! That had been fun!  
  
Maui hadn’t had to travel very far at all before coming across some sort of giant bird; not a mo’o, not a hawk, he didn’t even know what it was but it had a wicked bite.  
  
And now he trudged back into the village, having managed a weary flight back to the beach of the protected cove. He was tired and waved away all who came to greet him, taking the proffered food without offering any thanks, and made his way to the guest fale that had been erected for the use of traders but given over entirely to him.  
  
Maui was tired, but mostly happy. That had been a good fight, lots of running and leaping and dodging and not-dodging and cursing and more running. He probably needed a bath, blood and sweat commingling on his body, but it wasn’t a priority.

The only downside was that this battle hadn’t quite followed his preferred pattern. No big deal, though; Maui had an idea of how to fix that for next time.  
  
He sat, leaning against a support pole at the entrance to his lodging, absently eating the food he’d been given. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t bacon, and with one craving answered he was beginning to feel the call for the other.  
  
Maui thought about somebody else who might be wanting some bacon right about now, too.  
  
He finished his meal and went inside, intending to sleep the rest of the day and the whole of the night.  
  
He would visit Tamatoa again in the morning.

\---  
  
Tamatoa had holed himself up near the cliffs, one of his better disguised hideaways.  The entrance was heavily shaded and concealed by foliage, which he replaced upon heading inside.  A wide tunnel lead into the earth, widening into a spacious cavern.Of course, the highlight of this particular spot was that the cavern was open to the cliffs–providing him with a rather specular view of the sea.  
  
For most creatures, it was an impossible climb to reach that opening in the cliff face.  Tamatoa, however, was quite capable of scaling those walls–which gave him an escape route, if necessary.  
  
So, believing himself safely ensconced, he slept deeply that morning–with no intention of waking up before nightfall, when he’d head back down to the sea and get a proper–if not preferable–meal.

\---

Maui didn’t actually wind up sleeping the whole night through. And when he awoke, no mortal in the village, not even the formerly-sleeping chief, could say no to his request.  
  
So it was, an hour before daybreak, that Maui found himself back on his canoe, sailing around the point between the cove and Tamatoa’s beach, with two large, whole-roasted pigs on his deck.  
  
They smelled delicious, if he said so himself. They’d only been pulled out of an earthen oven at his request, so they were still warm, and the aroma wafted around him and trailed behind his boat.  
  
When Maui landed on Tamatoa’s beach, he didn’t bother to go looking. Instead he built a new fire there, and hauled the pigs up close to keep them warm. He sent the aromatic smoke swirling in all directions, enticing the wind to carry the scent near and far.  
  
Then he sat, the fire at his back and the ocean before him and the sun creeping up in the distance, fingering the new feather dangling from his necklace, and waited.

\---  
  
And that definitely did the trick.  
  
A crab like Tamatoa’s sense of smell was truly amazing.  He could detect things miles away with relative ease.And, even sleeping quite soundly, the scent of the smoke and meat that mingled with the sea air coming in through the cliff’s opening, was enough to set his antennae twitching.  
  
He drifted awake, squinting against the daylight (still daylight! too early!)  But he couldn’t quite ignore the enticing scent, couldn’t quite go back to sleep.  Not when he was hungry.  
  
So, he pulled himself up and edged to the cliff opening, antennae angled into the wind and eyes peering out as well.  There was something on his beach, the direction from which the smell was coming from.He couldn’t visually make out just what it was at this distance, but that was definitely the source.  
  
Maybe some lost canoe had showed up in the wrong cove again and set up camp.  It had happened before and was always a welcome diversion.  
  
Either way, he was interested.  
  
So, he made his way down familiar paths to the cove.  He slowed down as he made his approach, giving himself time to take stock of what was there before just bursting onto the scene.  It was impossible for a crab his size to stay completely hidden, but a careful approach would usually fool the unwary and inattentive.  
  
It was soon evident that the beach trespasser with the delicious smelling food was neither the type of be unwary or inattentive.  And Tamatoa halted dead in his tracks when he finally realized who was camped on his beach, with two highly aromatic hogs just sitting there.  
  
_Maui._  
  
Tamatoa would have liked to turn around and slink back to his home, but it was too late for that.  And he wasn’t willing to hide from trespassers in his own home territory.And he was hungry.  
  
He stepped out of the trees and onto the beach.

\---

When the sound of many legs crossing the sandy beach reached him, Maui turned to look over his shoulder with a wide smile plastered across his face.  
  
“Tamatoa!” he called out in greeting, enthusiastic. “How’ve you been? And hey, look!” Maui jumped to his feet then gestured showily to the meat piled high to either side of him. “I was telling you about bacon, right? And when I got back to the village yesterday - oh, and nobody was missing this time, thank goodness! - I kept thinking, ‘Man, I really want some bacon,’ but also, ‘You know who else would love some bacon? My best friend Tamatoa!’“ He paused his exuberant dialogue to move his gesture to indicate the crab.  
  
“So I went to the chief and told him ‘I need two whole roasted hogs’ and he said ‘Right away, sir!’ and I sailed them aaaalllll the way over here just for you! Well, and me, I’m gonna have some of that too, but mostly you, we can share like good friends do, right?”  
  
Maui paused again, taking in the baffled, wary expression on the monster’s face, and took his excitement down a notch or two. He looked right up at Tamatoa, and met his eye.  
  
“So whatcha think?” he asked. “You hungry?”

\---  
  
Tamatoa listened to the demigod chatter excitedly.  Suspicion was already settling in at his unexpected arrival, and grew at his bubbly manner, but it clicked firmly into place with Maui’s little sidebar about no villagers disappearing.  
  
That offhand comment, these surprise gifts, the emptiness of the forests the past few days… and then that piercing question at the end.  Maui had tipped his hand.  
  
Closer now, Tamatoa could detect the faint scent of blood–not pig, nor human but something totally different–buried under the stronger odors of the roasted meat.  It was faint, as if it had been scrubbed at in a bath.But no mere washing could fully remove the all traces that were left behind, not enough to escape Tamatoa’s finely tuned senses.  
  
He looked at Maui, sharp eyes missing nothing.  Then his gaze flicked to the pigs, which smelled absolutely delightful.  Then back to Maui.  
  
Tamatoa grit his teeth.  
  
“Nah, man,” he lied smoothly, much though it pained him to turn down the free meal.  He really was hungry, after all.And the tantalizing scent of the roasted pork was only making it keener.  And he had rarely ever turned down free food when it came his way.But he had more sense than to fall into this trap.  
  
“I’ll try a bite–”  Damnit, he at least wanted to taste it! “–but I’m good.”

\---

Maui stood looking at Tamatoa for a long, long moment, studying him. His tone, the expression on his face, the way his antennae danced in the air… they all spoke volumes.  
  
But he’d said exactly what Maui had wanted to hear. And that made Maui smile.  
  
“Aww, only a bite, really? After I went to all the trouble of bringing them here…” he trailed off into good-natured grumbling, but nonetheless hefted up his hook and stepped closer. He ignored Tamatoa’s slight reaction to his movement and instead sliced the whole, meaty underside off of one of the hogs. He lifted it up and offered it to the crab.  
  
“Well, if it’s only gonna be a bite, may as well be the best part!”

\---  
  
Tamatoa hesitated, wary.  Something in Maui’s manner itched relentlessly at him.  He was pretty damn sure the demigod was toying with him now.  And it rankled him, badly.But he was already dactyl-deep in this now and he had to maintain what thin ruse he had.  Tamatoa clenched his teeth with impotent anger.  
  
But he wanted that pork, too.  The smell of it was overpowering.   _Self control_ , Tamatoa, he had to remind himself–though that was a thing that did not come natural to him in the least.   _Keep it together!_  
  
Finally, he reached out and took the proffered slab of meat.  “Just a bite,” he repeated.And took exactly that.One single, if rather large, bite.  
  
And it was depressingly fantastic.  
  
As steady as he was trying to keep his expressions, there was no hiding his obvious enjoyment.  If he could secure a steady supply of roasted pork like this, he’d never eat anything else.  
  
Tamatoa looked at the piece still clutched in his claw, and the rest beside the demigod.  He wanted more, but he knew he couldn’t have it.Reluctantly, miserably, he laid the sampled piece down.  “I can see why you like it,” he said at last.“It’s good.”  
  
Inwardly, he was howling his frustration and anger.  But he did all he could to keep that from leaking through onto his face.  
  
This was going to be a long day.

\---

Maui beamed at him. “Isn’t it?! Best food ever, if you ask me.”  
  
He turned back to the pig and cut off a much smaller piece for himself, then sat down with his back to Tamatoa, looking out across the water again. He took a bite, then began to speak through his mouthful.  
  
“If you don’t have anywhere else to be, why doncha’ sit and hang around for a few? I can’t stay too long, sorry, but I gotta get back to the village. Hard work, you know, saving mortals all the time.” He swallowed then took another bite, this time finishing it without speaking.  
  
“Not that I really mind. I get a lot of stuff out of being their hero.” He gestured, offhandedly, to the piles of pork once again. “And it’s always too much for me anyway. Even if you’re not hungry right now, I’m glad I’ve got you to share the spoils with!”

\---  
  
Tamatoa certainly did not want to stay and ‘hang around’ with Maui.  He was bitterly angry now and, all things considered, he’d rather go back to his cliffside home and go back to sleep.  
  
But there was a hint of possibility that Maui might leave the rest of the delicious meat behind.  And that was definitely enough of an incentive for him to stay a little longer.If he could just wait Maui out, put up with him for a little while, he could haul all the rest of it off for himself afterwards.  
  
So, he bit back his anger, held his temper, and settled himself on the beach.  Once again, he kept a good bit of distance between himself and the demigod–not digging his legs down into the sand, no matter how warm and inviting it was.  
  
“You’ve been pretty busy, have you?” he asked casually in response to Maui’s comment about ‘saving mortals all the time.’  
  
Tamatoa could smell the blood on him from here, faint but distinctive.

\---

“Oh yeah,” Maui confirmed, delighted that Tamatoa had elected to indulge him. “Mortals are like guppies, short memory and shorter attention span, until they find something they want. So it’s always ‘Maui, help us sail that way!’ or ‘Maui, can you divert this river?’ Simple, easy stuff. Not like what I used to do.” He shrugged, dismissive. All of his greatest feats he’d accomplished ages ago. These days he had to go looking for adventures.  
  
He took another bite of his pork, chewing thoughtfully.  
  
“And then,” he continued, his tone decidedly more disgruntled. “They’re really bad at listening to directions. Not just here, but everywhere.” He glanced back up to Tamatoa. “Seriously, I tell them to do something, and a week later they’ve forgotten all about.” Then he shook his head, feigning resignation. “Can’t save ‘em all, I guess.”  
  
He took another bite. “Anyway, so this time. You helped me find the mantis shrimp, but there were still humans unaccounted for, so I went looking. Found a nest with some human bones, and this great big bird thing that didn’t like me being there. You shoulda’ seen that battle! I was amazing. Still a little sore where it bit me, though.” He flexed his leg a little, wiggled his toes.  
  
“Anyway, that should be settled. They’ve got some project or other for me later today. Actually,” and he glanced at the sun, as if to judge the time, “I should be getting back. They’ll be missing me by now.”  
  
He shoved the rest of the pork into his mouth and stood, dusting off the sand. He looked at the roasted pigs, then back to Tamatoa for a moment. He swallowed.  
  
“Hey, I really don’t wanna haul these back with me. I can’t eat all this, not with the feasts the humans keep throwing. You want it? Give ya’ a break from fishing. Fire should keep it nice and warm, too, at least for a while.”

\---

Tamatoa frowned to himself as Maui spoke of his latest exploit.  He knew instantly what creature he spoke of.That would be Nuku, the great bird monster on the east end of the mountains.  She was a fierce thing, strong and fast and in her prime.He’d tried to cut through her territory once on the way to the north side of the island and she’d given him all sorts of hell.  
  
His eyes drifted to the feather dangling from Maui’s necklace–a pendant that wasn’t there the last time he’d seen the demigod.  It was the color of Nuku’s plumage.  
  
Tamatoa felt a chill, despite the warmth of the sun and the heat of the nearby fire.  
  
Guess he wouldn’t have any trouble cutting through her territory now.  
  
But then Maui stood and offered him the leftovers, which was what Tamatoa had been waiting for.  He pushed his thoughts aside and let a casual facade slip into place.“Sure, man.I’ll save them for later or something.”  
  
He’d save them for right-the-hell-now, actually.  
  
He didn’t thank Maui, just waited patiently for him to leave.

\---

Maui beamed at Tamatoa. “Great! Thanks, buddy.”  
  
He stepped closer, slow and lazy and non-threatening, and clapped his hand onto Tamatoa’s claw, same as he would clap a mortal on the shoulder.  
  
“I’ll see if I can’t get some sweets next time I visit. And more bacon. They go great together.” He winked, then set off back to his canoe. He could almost feel Tamatoa’s eyes following him.  
  
But he didn’t say anything more, and got underway in short order.  
  
Tamatoa was probably the cleverest monster he’d ever met. Smarter than most of the mortals he’d known, even. Maui was gonna change his usual pattern, here, and try something new. Test the waters, find out what Tamatoa wanted, offer certain opportunities. He wanted to know how a monster would react to these things, to helping a demigod, to making hard choices.  
  
He was curious about that crab.

\---  
  
It took all Tamatoa’s willpower not to flinch back from the touch.  It gave him that itchy feeling under his exoskeleton again and set his teeth on edge.  
  
What was worse, the demigod had implied he would be returning again.  That didn’t sit well with Tamatoa at all.  
  
He watched Maui until he was out of sight, then watched a bit longer to make sure he wasn’t coming back.  And a bit longer still, just in case.He was on edge now.  
  
When he was absolutely certain that the demigod was gone, only then did he gather up the remaining meat.  He wasn’t about to eat it here, though.He felt far too exposed right now.So he made his way back to his cliffside home instead to enjoy his meal.  And it was damn good… but his enjoyment was still somewhat soured by all that had occurred.  
  
Afterwards, he wanted to go back to sleep, but he was far too unsettled for that.  Every time he closed his eyes and tried to drift off, he imagined the demigod returning and it dragged him right back awake.  
  
After enough restless agitation, he gave up and made a snap decision.  It was time for a change of scenery.  
  
The sun was barely past its zenith when he left the cliffside lair and started north-east.  If he hurried and didn’t encounter any trouble along the way–less likely now that Nuku the bird monster was apparently gone–he’d be there by next morning.  
  
It was early yet in the year to be making this social call, but he didn’t think _she_ would mind.  And he could shack up over there for at least a couple weeks until all this heat died down.  
  
With any luck, after a few times of not finding him in his usual haunts, Maui would give up and leave him alone.

Tamatoa smiled.

\---

Maui spent a few days amongst the mortals, doing as they asked and eating their food and soaking in their vapid praise. It was all well and good, but he craved something more.  
  
After four days, he stockpiled dried mangoes and sweetened pineapple and fried bananas, then hauled them off to Tamatoa’s beach, just as he’d promised. Monsters liked to eat, and he knew Tamatoa was no exception. Food always made good bait.  
  
However, the crab was not on the beach, and did not find his way there in any reasonable amount of time. Bored, Maui finally decided to go looking. He swept through the forest, unsure what Tamatoa’s usual stomping grounds were but not encountering any other monsters. He found several places that may or may not have been bolt holes, but they were all empty. He kept looking until the sun set.  
  
Tamatoa was nowhere to be found.  
  
Unhappy but otherwise shrugging it off, he left the sweets bundled on the beach where Tamatoa could find them later, and returned to the human village.  
  
Next time would go better.

\---  
  
Meanwhile, Tamatoa was having a much better week.  The long trek across the island was surprisingly easy and no other monsters hassled him along the way, which was a stroke of good luck.  In order to cross the island, he had to take a long detour around the mountainous heart of the island where lurked a mysterious, but legendary creature that even he was afraid of.  To avoid this unseen danger meant cutting through numerous other monster’s territories instead.None of them took kindly to trespassers, particularly one who was somewhat notorious for causing trouble.

He crossed these territories every year, however, to reach the northern shore of the island for the summer mating season.  Summer was still ages away, though, as he traversed the island this time.

Nevertheless, despite his early and unannounced arrival, Aiata—the big female crab who had flipped him over and stolen his heart many, many years prior—had been more than welcoming.  It was always a joy to see her again, even out of season.She was quite the strategist, too.When he explained his situation, she had immediately offered some rather sage—if somewhat blunt—advice.  Better still, she had also told him he could stay as long as he liked.

Her territory on the north side of the island was decidedly more rugged than his own, resting in the foothills between the mountains and the northern coast.  It was a warren of deep caves and caverns running far back under the hills.It was in this maze of tunnels where they spent their days, napping and getting an early start on the summer season. 

Their nights, however, were spent prowling the forests, hunting in tandem.  On their own, each was a formidable monster in their own right, but together they were a nearly unstoppable force to be reckoned with.  They had little regard for the boundary lines between territories and none of the neighboring monsters were up for challenging them both together.  So they stalked the late nights unfettered and with wild, joyous abandon.Working as a team, they brought down plenty of prey—both humans and animals alike—and shared their kills together.

And after the first blissful week of this routine—and with some encouragement from Aiata—Tamatoa had finally stopped looking over his shoulder constantly.  Things began to feel normal again and he slept well each day, pleasantly tired and happy.

It was idyllic.  It was wonderful.

It couldn’t last.


	4. Chapter 4

When Maui returned to Tamatoa’s beach and found the package of sweets barely picked at by the little, innocuous shore- and forest crabs, he wondered at it. Where would Tamatoa have gone for so many days? Or had he been back, but spurned Maui’s gift?

It drove his curiosity a little higher.

Was this a usual pattern of behavior for the crab? Or had Maui disturbed his routine enough that Tamatoa had sought some solitude? Should he go find him, and get an answer?

Then again, it was a big island, and Tamatoa was undoubtedly a busy monster. Maui couldn’t expect him to be there every time Maui came around, after all. And even if Maui was usually a pretty lucky demigod, he could chalk it up to bad luck that he’d missed his friend, and that his friend had missed his gift.

So Maui gave it two more days.

And when, at that point, he still had found no trace of Tamatoa, no sign of his coming or going, Maui’s patience had run out.

It was time to find his monster.

With a flash and a warcry, Maui transformed into a hawk and took flight. It truly was a big island, and took days to traverse by foot. But by wing… things went much faster.

Fast enough that he found Tamatoa within a few hours.

The monster crab was sitting on a bluff, looking out at the ocean. He looked… calm, reposed, happy.

And Maui… Maui wanted to pick his brain about that. To put it lightly.

He circled back and landed in the treeline, transforming there from hawk to beetle. Then he took flight once more, buzzing right out of the treeline and boldly across the bluff. He went right up beside Tamatoa, small and quiet, evading his notice. At the edge, just a couple paces away, he transformed once more, back to his human skin, sitting right beside Tamatoa as though he’d been there for hours already.

“Found ya’,” he said softly.

\---

Tamatoa was indeed happy–relaxed, sated on all fronts.  He’d only just stepped outside of the tunnels to take in a little sea air, basking in the afterglow of his and Aiata’s _spirited_ below-ground activities, when his peaceful afternoon was shattered.

The flash of light, the softly spoken words, and the appearance of Maui next to him happened so suddenly that they all seemed like one singular event to Tamatoa.  And startled was far too mild a term for how hard it shook him.

He leapt up from where he was lounging indolently on the ground, letting fly a blistering curse.  All that mellow pleasantness he’d been enjoying fled in an instant.

When he recovered from his initial surprise, he fixed Maui with an incensed glare.  The demigod’s sudden appearance was too jarring for Tamatoa to temper his anger at the moment.

“What the hell, man?!”

Good mood, ruined.  Afterglow, dissolved.

\---

Maui tilted his head to look up, sideways, at Tamatoa. Oh yes, he’d made the monster angry. Angry and… perhaps a touch defensive? Angry but not moving forward aggressively; Maui thought he’d poke that.

“I could be asking you the same question, Tamatoa,” he began, voice just a shade sharp. “You just take off without a word, without a sign; I was worried about you, you know.” He stood up and motioned out to the rest of the island with his hook - coincidentally putting it between them, as well.

“After all, there are a lot of big monsters out there. _Dangerous_ monsters. And here I thought you weren’t one for fighting, the way you took off before that mantis shrimp even showed up.” He raised an eyebrow at Tamatoa, emphasizing his next question:

“Or was I wrong about you?”

\---

Tamatoa seethed.  How dare this absolute bastard show up, invade his paradise, and then talk to him in that tone.  The infantile scolding, the false worry, the implicit threat, the not-so-subtle insult, that loaded question–it was all purpose built to rouse his ire.  And roused it was, his pride once again pricked up.

His claws clicked together in agitation, but only just once.

_Don’t take the bait._   The words circled around his mind, along with other sensible sentiments that had been imparted upon him.

His expression smoothed as he forced, not without considerable effort, the fury away.

“Maui,” he began, voice slick as glass, “you surprised me!  What are you doing here, man?”

He deliberately ignored the question.

\---

The sudden shift to pleasantness, the amicable attitude, was a sharp contrast to the cursing and anger from moments before. And it was a rather far departure from Tamatoa’s demeanor around him before today.

Maui smiled. The crab was up to something, and that was exciting.

He dropped his own act and segued into a happy reunion. “I was looking for you! I got bored back there, you know, the mortals weren’t being entertaining at all. And I brought you sweets, just like I promised, but you weren’t there to share them!” He huffed good-naturedly, and held his hands up in a shrug.

“Ah well, maybe next time.” He turned back to the bluff, looked down to the rocky shores below. The sea breeze smelled nice.

“So this your summer house, or something? It’s all the way across the island from your old place; just seems like a long ways to go, you know?” He shrugged, then looked back over his shoulder at Tamatoa again.

“Then again, I guess that’s sort of the point, isn’t it? To get away from things.”

\---

Every single word out of this damnable demigod’s mouth was grating.  Every. Single. Word.  So, it took considerable effort for Tamatoa to maintain his composure.  He forced himself to stop reacting and start _thinking_ about things.  He reminded himself that it was just like hunting; he had to think ahead of his adversary.

Of course, in all truth, he would have greatly liked to just shove this adversary over that bluff, but the demigod’s sudden appearance had given him pause.  He hadn’t seen the beetle, nor the transformation.  So he wasn’t entirely sure how Maui had gotten there.  What sort of magic did the demigod possess?  What sort of powers?  Since clearly–and much to Tamatoa’s dismay–Maui wasn’t leaving him alone, he’d better find out what he was capable of.  And fast.

He ignored the dumb chatter about the sweets, Maui’s feigned friendly gesture.  And he ignored the bit about the mortals being boring, too.  He was beginning to think this wasn’t about the humans at all, particularly since there was conspicuously no mention of those (quite a few!) that had gone ‘missing’ in the past week or so.  No, this thing of Maui’s was about something else.

But then he got distracted, lip quirking into an involuntary smile at the bit about his “summer house.”  Perhaps he was still riding the high of the past week, but it was hard to keep the fondness out of his voice.  “Something like that,” he found himself saying, but stopped himself from saying more.

Then he refocused and looked down at Maui.  “Hey man, how did you just appear like that?”  He’d try the direct approach.  He remembered Maui babbling on about his own greatness on more than one occasion now, he’d see how far that went with a touch of flattery.  “That was pretty cool.”

\---

Maui hadn’t been looking at Tamatoa, and missed the little smile that accompanied his answer about living here in the summer.

But he did notice as Tamatoa tried, artfully, to steer the conversation.

And Maui found himself in a mood to indulge him. He smiled.

“It is pretty cool, actually. Not all demigods can do it, but I’m the best!” He thumped his chest, proud of that title.

He walked up to Tamatoa again, slow and casual same as last time, then reached out to push gently on the pincer that was bigger than his body. He was silent for a single moment, concentrating, before he shoved a little harder.

“You need to back up, though. Takes some room.”

He stepped back, and moved roughly equidistant between Tamatoa and the edge of the bluff, looking around and measuring. He eyed the crab again, considering… then smiled, bright and exuberant.

“CHEE HOO!”

He swung his hook around, and a bright blue flash spilled around his body.

An instant later, a rather broad, rather tall, rather huge monster crab stood before Tamatoa.

Maui grinned down at him, all of his teeth on display.

“I’m a shapeshifter. Didn’t you know?”

\---

Tamatoa did back up when asked, pulling his claws in a little closer.  He wished this fleshy little thing would quit touching him.  It made him terribly uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, he watched, puzzled and curious.  What on earth was the demigod doing?  What–?

Then came the transformation.

Tamatoa’s heart stuttered, a cold flash of fear rushing through him as if he’d been plunged into icy water.  He skittered backwards in shock, staring up through wide eyes at the crab nearly twice his size.  _A shapeshifter!_ His mind reeled at the implications–none of them good.  His antennae flattened back.

But in the wake of that initial chilly shock something else was stirred in him, a primal instinct welling up from deep within.  His eyes darted to glance back towards the concealed tunnel into the earth, not far away, then narrowed as he looked back at Maui.  He sidestepped, placing himself between the tunnel’s entryway and his enormous adversary.  A faint growl built in his throat and his claws came up, opened wide in threat.

“Neat trick,” he said, tension thick in his voice.  “Now change back.”

Maui might have been twice his size now and even more overwhelmingly dangerous, but he didn’t care.  This damned demigod had been jerking him around enough.

Sometimes a crab had to draw the line.

\---

Now, Maui knew he’d be intimidating.  He almost always shapeshifted into a much larger version of any creature he copied, and size tended to inspire fear.

And Tamatoa had, satisfyingly, shown that spark of fear. But then he got _angry_. Angry and defensive.

Maui didn’t miss it when Tamatoa glanced _away_ from him. And when the crab shifted position, putting on a threat display, it occurred to Maui that there must be something back there. Something that Tamatoa was protecting.

Something that he didn’t want Maui to find.

And that _really_ made Maui want to find out what it was.

But Tamatoa was between him and his new goal, and clearly unhappy. Should he push? Tamatoa had proven himself bold before, would he actually fight Maui if Maui didn’t back down?

…Probably.

Maui’s blood sang at the thought.

He almost took a step forward.

But then he wobbled. It took a while before he acclimated to any new shape, everything was always so different, but the interruption of his own body was enough to break his bloody-minded thoughts. So he leaned into the wobble and let himself stumble, smiling and laughing before changing back to his human skin, following the stumble through before landing on his ass, still laughing.

“It is, isn’t it?” he asked with open glee. “A great trick! I can get up to so much trouble-” and that’s how he’d earned the title trickster “-and it’s so much fun, but the first few changes are always a challenge.” He stood again, set his limbs to shaking a little, playing up the impression that he’d been weakened by the effort.

Half of him just wanted Tamatoa to underestimate him in the future. The other half wanted Tamatoa to take advantage and _attack_.

\---

Tamatoa’s posture stayed stiff and tense, eyes now locked on his opponent.  As such, he didn’t miss the wobble and stumble.  And while his blood was up and he did feel the urge to attack, he held himself back.

He definitely did not underestimate Maui–not now.  And Maui had said himself that the first few changes were a challenge, which meant all the demigod would need was a little bit of practice to figure out how to be a crab.  And then he’d be lethally dangerous in that shape.

A shapeshifter made everything so much more serious.

He relaxed, but only by degrees, when Maui changed back.  His claws lowered, but he didn’t budge from his position.  He didn’t buy Maui’s pantomime of shaking weakness, either–not for one minute.  He may have appeared weak, but he didn’t _smell_ fatigued.  And Tamatoa always trusted scents over appearances.

But he forced himself back into a calmer facade of his own.  “Must be exhausting,” he commented mildly, playing along.

\---

Continuing his act - and only mildly disappointed that Tamatoa hadn’t risen to the bait - Maui flopped onto his back. He took a chance then: he let go of his hook and waved his hand flippantly in the air. He didn’t think Tamatoa knew about the hook’s importance, but then again, the crab kept surprising him, too. So he continued to push, to make himself vulnerable. A fight now wasn’t really on his agenda, but he couldn’t keep himself from inviting it all the same.

“So exhausting,” he agreed. “But I’ll get the hang of it sooner or later. Hell, one of them-” the beetle, but he wasn’t going to name all of his shapes to Tamatoa, not just yet, “-took me weeks of practicing every day.” He shifted his arms behind his head, relaxing into position and looking up at the sky. His hook was still out of his hand, laying on the ground beside his hip. “And by the time I’d finally figured it out, I was so hungry I could’ve eaten a whale!”

He tilted his head up and winked at Tamatoa, but it wasn’t really a joke. That whale had been small but delicious.

\---

So it seemed that Maui was going to continue to pretend to be weakened.  Well, Tamatoa would continue pretending to believe it.  But Tamatoa knew well enough that it was an act, so now he was watching him, studying him with the keenness of a seasoned, experienced predator.

Maui laid down–clearly inviting Tamatoa to believe him vulnerable–but Tamatoa didn’t fall for it.  He continued to stand and, from his once again superior height, he watched Maui set the hook aside, noted the theatricality of his gestures afterwards.

There was something there and it drew his attention.  Naturally, he recognized the hook as a weapon, and a sharp one at that, but from Maui’s subtle behavior he was now certain that there was something else.  The demigod had swung it before transforming and Tamatoa had caught a faint glint of blue light illuminating the carvings upon it.  There was some sort of magic involved here.  Some sort of demigodly power.  It intrigued him.  He wanted to know more.  He wanted to _take_ it, but he knew damn well that the demigod was only feigning this relaxed appearance.

But Maui was going on now about eating whales, and while that sounded reasonably appetizing, he was too well fed right now to care and had other things on his mind.

“Oh yeah?  And what sort of shape was it that took so much practice?” he pried.  “Bet you slept for a week afterwards.”

He had to get this bastard talking.  Find out what he was truly capable of.

\---

Maui snorted. “More like a month!”

Tamatoa wasn’t taking the bait. In fact, it seemed he was doing some fishing of his own.

Clever, clever. More clever than almost any other monster Maui had ever come across.

So he wasn’t going to get the physical fight; that was fine. There were plenty of other monsters on the island. And Maui didn’t quite have that itch yet, anyway. That could wait.

No, instead, he was clearly in for a battle of wits. Which was a thrill in its own right, and made him doubly-glad that he’d found Tamatoa in the first place.

He sat up again, crossed his legs and leaned forward, looking up at the monstrous crab in front of him.

“See, the thing about shapeshifting,” he began, “is that the less like me it is, the harder it is to figure out. So I’ve only got the two arms and two legs,” he wiggled his fingers in emphasis, “but something with more than that? Yeah, that’s a pickle.” He shrugged.

“But enough about me!” He beamed, disarmingly. “What about you? What brings you all the way out here?” He nodded off to the bluff. “Didn’t really look like good fishing, out there.”

He didn’t make any move to indicate whatever-it-was behind Tamatoa. That he wanted to discover on his own.

\---

Well, that didn’t last long.  Maui was clearly dropping his little farce at being so winded.  And, while it was useful to know that non-human shapes were more effort for him, he hadn’t answered what kind of shapes he took.  It irked Tamatoa.

But then the demigod turned the conversation again, back onto him, which irked Tamatoa all the more.  He wasn’t about to tell Maui why he was over here.  The less the demigod knew, the better.  Maui’s unexpected arrival and frightening transformation had made him realize, too, that he was putting Aiata in danger by being here.  He couldn’t risk Maui discovering her.  The very _thought_ of the demigod targeting her was disconcerting.  Much though he hated to cut his blissful vacation short, he was already thinking it might be time to go back home.  He clearly couldn’t run from this problem and he didn’t want to make things even more dangerous.

Besides, he’d come back when the summer season really got going in a month or so.  The thought made his lip quirk into a small smile.

But, to Maui, all he said was:  “I like the view.”

Then he pushed the conversation again, trying to bring this to a close and get rid of his unwelcome guest.  He’d like to at least enjoy his remaining time over here before heading back home.

“Is there something you _wanted_ , Maui man?” he asked.  “Because otherwise…”  He let it trail off, implying that he was a very busy crab.  Hint hint.  Please go away.

All Tamatoa wanted was to retreat back into the darkness of the tunnels and get on with his day.

\---

Maui raised an eyebrow at that response: ‘I like the view.’ If that wasn’t a deflection, he didn’t know what was.

But at Tamatoa’s question, Maui paused to consider. Well, to be honest with himself… he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do. He’d wanted to find Tamatoa and had done so, and in the process inadvertently uncovered a mystery about the crab.

The impatient, hidden suggestion wasn’t lost on him, either. As if everything else before now wasn’t clue enough: Tamatoa wanted him gone.

Maui wanted to push at that. Wanted to insist upon himself. But, calm and not about to launch into a fight, he considered that he wasn’t quite ready to push the crab to the breaking point; not quite yet.

He’d have to give some ground if he wanted to keep this up.

He put a hand up to his head and stretched an abashed expression across his face. “Right! Yeah, sorry, I do tend to get carried away, don’t I? Sorry, sorry-” he apologized as he picked up his fishhook and stood, “-I didn’t mean to interrupt, was just wondering where you’d gotten to. And I found ya’!”

He switched to a smile, the friendliest he could muster. “I’ll just catch ya later. Bye!”

With that, he turned and ran right towards the edge of the bluff, then jumped off, a “Chee hooo!” echoing up behind him as he fell. He transformed into his hawk shape and cut against the wind, hugging the edge of the of the cliffside and hoping to get far enough away before Tamatoa could get a look. Not the end of everything if the crab did, but one less surprise in Maui’s bag of tricks.

For now, he soared off, and wondered what he should do next.

\---

Tamatoa blinked in surprise as Maui just took a flying leap off the cliff.  And while he’d like to have imagined the demigod had done the only decent thing that he could do and committed suicide, Tamatoa knew better.

He hurried to the cliff edge and looked over, just in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of the massive hawk soaring away.  No, Maui wouldn’t be able to surprise him with that form after this.  And now Tamatoa knew how the demigod had gotten the drop on him–quite literally–upon their first meeting.

He took note of the warcry, too.  Seemed Maui had a habit of yelling it before shifting as well as before attacking.  He’d remember that.

But with the hawk disappearing into the distance, he was satisfied that the irritating demigod had departed.  The unsettled feeling that Maui always brought with him, however, lingered.

He looked back towards the tunnel entrance, wistful.  One more night here.  One more wild, freewheeling hunt with Aiata tonight.  Then he’d leave in the morning and return to his own territory to figure out what to do about his persistent demigod problem.

And until nightfall came?  He grinned.  Well, Aiata was sure to give him a proper send off.

With that, he slipped back into the darkness of the underground caves.

\---

Maui gave it two days before he went back to the bluff on the far side of the island.

He arrived at midday, landing from his hawk shape in the same place he had first tried his new monster crab form. He gave the area a cursory looking over, then set out to explore.

The land was relatively rough and uneven, and he quickly discovered why: lava tubes. In several places the ground had caved into these, but none led very far.

Maui stopped his search, and thought back. Tamatoa had been looking in this direction, certainly… but perhaps a little lower than the surface.

Sure enough, he found a series of tunnels and caves somewhat hidden by the curve of the bluff, facing out to sea. Not all of them were lava tubes, however: plenty of these were sea caves, and plenty more seemed to be part of the island’s creation.

It was, honestly, a lot to take in.

Maui wasted no time in approaching the nearest one that Tamatoa could have entered, and set his hook to glowing. But it wasn’t long before he realized how labyrinthine the cave complex was.

He sighed, impatient. This was gonna take a while. And he wasn’t sure if he’d run into Tamatoa down here or not, so he might not even have any fun.

…But if he found whatever it was that Tamatoa wanted hidden, that was bound to be _very_ fun.

Maui wandered the caves for hours; certainly well into the night. And though several times he thought he heard noises, he never actually found a single thing. No stash of food. No carvings, no treasure, no offspring. No shiny seashells. Nothing. Not even a hint of anything.

Just plain, empty, endless caves.

Logic suggested that he simply hadn’t gone far enough, hadn’t searched widely enough. But deep down, he knew:

He wasn’t going to find anything.

The realization gave way to a tidal wave of frustration. He clenched his fists, released, then clenched again. He wanted to know, dammit. Wanted to be that much deeper under Tamatoa’s exoskeleton.

But this was a dead end.

In a rare fit of temper, he let loose a short, harsh, angry shout and swung his hook into the rock wall next to him. It sank in deeply, and the tunnel seemed to reverberate around him from the impact, dust and debris falling from the ceiling to clatter on the ground.

Maui took a long, deep breath, then let it back out slowly.

Okay.

Okay, this had been a waste of time. But Maui had plenty of time, he reminded himself. More time than he knew what to do with. He just had to remember to be patient.

He tugged his hook out of the rock and turned around.

Then hesitated, as the winding maze of the tunnels stymied his sense of direction.

Well, it was a good thing he had so much time, he thought, because it was going to take a while to find his way back out.

\---

After one last blissful night on the north side of the island, Tamatoa had set out the next morning at dawn.  He had given Aiata plenty of warning that Maui might return, but he knew she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.  She’d chosen her territory well and those tunnels were probably the safest place on the whole island.  She knew every inch of them, every rock and stone and crevice and twisting passageway.  That demigod would never find her in there unless she wanted to be found.

So, thus assured, he made his way home–cutting east around the mountains once more.  It took him most of a day to get back, arriving late in the night.  He didn’t bother hunting upon return, having feasted quite well in preparation for the journey the night prior.  Instead, he spent the rest of the dark night hours inspecting his territory for trespassers–both monster or semi-divine.

First thing he found was a pile of rotten, stinking fruit on his beach.  The sickly-sweet smell wafted over the whole area; Maui’s ‘gift’ apparently.  Disgusted on multiple levels—even the lure of free food couldn’t temper his disgust at its source—he shoved it all into the sea for the tide to take away.  Then he moved on.

Methodical, he checked every one of his familiar hideaways to make sure they were clear.  He smelled faint traces of Maui in a few of them–clearly the little bastard had been scoping out his territory while he was away.  He’d be avoiding those spots for a while.  He would have to avoid his cliffside home as well.  Now that he knew Maui could fly as a hawk, the cavernous opening above the sea was a liability.

Just as the sun was beginning to crest over the horizon, he finally settled down into a well-concealed, Maui-stench-free cavern to get some rest.

When night fell again, he’d get back to routine.  And get back to figuring out what to do about this loathsome pest he’d acquired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See what Aiata looks like, here --> [Aiata - Daylight Colors](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Daylight-761763146) & [Aiata - Bioluminescence](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Bioluminesence-761763284)


	5. Chapter 5

Maui slept for an entire day when he finally got back to the human village. He awoke restless, with more energy than he could burn, and threw himself into whatever the humans wanted or needed: a feast, moving timber, going fishing - he did warn them he was a terrible fisherman, but they thought his good luck might rub off on them.  
  
The sentiment annoyed him, however. His luck had failed in those caves. It was bound to happen every once in a while, but that didn’t mean he had to accept it with any amount of grace.  
  
But all too soon, the mortal tasks weren’t enough. He was itching for something more. At the same time, there were whispers of more people disappearing in the forest, and several of the villagers implored Maui to go find the monster responsible and make the island safe again.  
  
He could go looking. Undoubtedly he’d eventually find something to kill.  
  
But he thought he had a better idea.  
  
He flew to Tamatoa’s beach again. He hadn’t been there for a rather long time, it seemed, but little had changed: there was no monster crab in sight.  
  
Surely he was back from his vacation by now. Should Maui go looking for him in those bolt holes, or sit here waiting?  
  
Or maybe do something else?  
  
He didn’t have anything better to do. May as well pass the time productively. And, besides, if Tamatoa’s reaction last time was anything to go by, Maui’s activities wouldn’t go unnoticed for long.  
  
He gripped his hook, fixed an image in his mind, and transformed. A moment later, Maui took his first few wobbly steps as a giant monster crab.

\---

Morning found Tamatoa finishing up his nightly rounds.  He’d hunted well in the dark hours of night, but now he was doing one last patrol of his territory before retreating into some cavern to sleep the day away.  He was staying vigilant now, keeping an eye out each day for any sign of Maui before he settled down to rest.He didn’t want any more rude awakenings.No more surprise visits.  No more–  
  
He smelled the intruder on the beach well before he saw him.  The scent was strange–predominantly that of another monster crab, but it was mingled and overlaid across another scent.  
  
_Maui._  
  
He narrowed his eyes, anger simmering in them.  Not only was Maui here _again_ , but he was here as a _crab_ and that needled him particularly sharply.  Tamatoa felt a low growl build in his throat again.  It was insulting and triggered all sorts of deeply set reactions within him.  And besides that, Maui’s crab shape was huge and that was terrifying.And being made to feel afraid only sharpened Tamatoa’s anger.  
  
He wouldn’t show that fear, though.  He didn’t dare show it.  
  
But once he choked back his anger enough to think a little more rationally, he knew he didn’t have much choice but to go deal with this.  Maui would only persist until he found Tamatoa.Better to go initiate on his own terms, and not be surprised later by the demigod.  
  
He steadied himself and angled towards the beach.  
  
He would have liked to observe first, but there was no cover large enough for him to hide behind from someone as observant as Maui.  So he just walked straight out of the trees, swallowed his fear of the crab twice his size, and boldly stepped onto the sand.  
  
“That’s not a good look for you,” he commented, deadpan.

\---

Maui was sitting there on the beach when Tamatoa showed up, antennae shoved into the water and admittedly having more fun swishing them around than an eons-old demigod really ought to be having. Hearing and smells were so different - hell, it had taken him a while to realize he was smelling things, that was weird - and he’d thought Tamatoa only had eight legs, including the claws, but no-  
  
He feigned a pout, a really exaggerated one, at Tamatoa’s remark. “I got this look from you, ya’ know,” he shot back.  
  
He looked at the monster crab - the other monster crab - for a good half minute, scrutinizing him. There wasn’t a trace of fear; only, if he had to guess, exasperated annoyance. There was an odd scent to him that Maui couldn’t place - this high-accuracy-smelling thing was too new, and he didn’t have enough experience to match sensation with knowledge. As it was, he assumed that Maui-the-demi-crab must be old news; if Tamatoa was still afraid of him, he was hiding it very well.  
  
_Good_ , he thought.  
  
Finally Maui jerked his head in a “come see this!” gesture, followed with, “Come sit with me, buddy. I’ve got something I wanna ask ya’.”  
  
He didn’t wait for Tamatoa’s response before he barreled on ahead, though. “So, I’m sure this is news to you, but more humans have been going missing again. More and more and the village is getting antsy, so of course they’re asking me to help. And if I don’t, who knows, maybe they’ll pray for some other demigod to show up and do it for them, and that would be a pain.  
  
“So, anyway, I gotta do something to appease them, you know? And you’ve been here way longer than I have. I figure, if anybody knows what’s up, it’s my best friend Tamatoa!” He lifted his antennae up out of the water, finally, to help express his enthusiasm, accompanied by a wide and excited grin.  
  
“So how ‘bout it, buddy? Got any dirt on the other monsters around here? What do you think is the most likely culprit for all these disappearances?”

\---  
  
Tamatoa watched the demigod gracelessly swish his fake–he would never consciously think of Maui as a real crab–antennae through the water like some kind of neophyte crabling.  The motion of them lacked precision, lacked technique–he’d get results that way, but not the best results.Tamatoa felt some relief.Maui hadn’t quite gotten it all figured out completely yet, it would seem.  
  
He probably would soon enough, though.  At least enough to be dangerous.And it made Tamatoa nervous.  
  
When invited to sit, Tamatoa remained standing.  He wasn’t feeling particularly cooperative right now, particularly when already riled simply by Maui’s assuming this shape.  
  
He did listen, though.  
  
Of course, Tamatoa knew perfectly well why humans were going missing.  He was personally responsible for plenty of them, though he was surely not the only monster partaking.  
  
Was this another accusation?  Perhaps, but this sounded different than the last time Maui had come after him about this.  No, this sounded like Maui was fishing for something else.  
  
He looked again at Maui’s shape, irritated to no end by it.  Tamatoa was in no mood to help him.  
  
“I don’t know anything about more humans disappearing, man,” he said, delivering the lie with total confidence.  He went on, tone firm, “I can’t help you.”  
  
Then he looked over Maui with a critical eye.  “You shouldn’t sit like _that_ ,” he scolded, as if speaking to a child who needed the guidance of a proper crab.  “You’ll damage your legs.”  
  
There was nothing wrong with the way he was sitting, but Maui wouldn’t know that.  He wanted Maui to move, though.Wanted to see how he handled this shape.

\---

Maui looked at Tamatoa with… actually a lot of surprise. As much because Tamatoa was apparently helping him - even if not the help he’d come looking for - as because…. This may have been the first time Maui had ever actually been scolded.  
  
The surprise and novelty overrode the little voice deep inside suggesting the crab might be up to something. It would be much more fun to follow this through to wherever Tamatoa was going with it.  
  
“Oh yeah?” he asked, and looked down at his legs. He’d thought he’d copied Tamatoa pretty well, and it felt comfortable, but the actual crab would know. “Then how should I be sitting?”

\---  
  
Tamatoa suppressed a grin as Maui fell for it.  Finally, he had a small taste of success.And it immediately went right to his head. 

He made a show of looking Maui over again, then clicked his tongue, disapproving.  “No no no, it’s all wrong.You’ll cut off your circulation, weaken the joints.“The bullshit just flowed right off his tongue.  
  
He shook his head.  “Ten legs is not two, Maui.  You have to rearrange them.Get up.”  
  
C’mon.. c’mon.. _stand up_ , demigod.

\---

Maui didn’t find anything wrong with that instruction. Tamatoa was helping him, and it had the added side-benefit of the extra height advantage. Win-win, he figured.  
  
But this body was still new, and weird, and he was a bit ungainly as he got all his limbs working together to make him stand. It took him a minute, so he filled the empty air with a question:  
  
“By the way,” he asked, as his body rose into the air. “What are those two tiny legs back there for?”

\---

Tamatoa watched Maui struggle with all his additional limbs, gratified to see he hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet.  He was still awkward, still having trouble with placement.Tamatoa had a feeling this demigod was a quick learner, though.  
  
But there are some things that simply couldn’t be learned from a few days pretending to be a crab.  Some things that took a lifetime to learn how to master.Some things that–  
  
Tamatoa nearly choked at Maui’s question.  
  
Then he smiled, all teeth and smugness and sharp edges.  “ _Mating_ , Maui.  They’re used for mating.”  His smirk widened as he couldn’t help getting a little dig in.  “Don’t worry, you won’t need them.”  
  
Then he waved a claw.  “Now sit back down properly.  Legs like this.”He demonstrated, sitting down himself and arranging his legs in the most uncomfortable way imaginable.  Let the demigod suffer.Let him hate inhabiting a crab body.  
  
Then he lead in to the next ruse.  
  
“You’re using your antennae wrong, too.”

\---

_Mating?_ Huh. Maui wondered how that was supposed to work.  
  
Then again, despite Tamatoa’s insult, Maui wasn’t sure he actually wanted to find out.  
  
He watched as Tamatoa settled himself into the sand -for once actually, willingly sitting in Maui’s presence- but quickly grew skeptical about that arrangement of his many legs. He’d never once come across Tamatoa sitting like that.  
  
But, well, Tamatoa was actively engaging with him. Maui may be a trickster, but he could take a trick or two, too. It would be worth it if it meant Tamatoa was actually being friendly with him.  
  
Or, maybe the crab was just being honestly helpful. Or, if it was something else, Maui was confident he’d come out of it just fine.  
  
So he played along, curious to see what Tamatoa had in store for him, and putting aside his own agenda for now.  
  
“My antennae, too?” he asked. “How did I get those wrong?”

\---  
  
Now was where he had to play this more carefully. Too much and it might backfire, allowing Maui to learn proper technique. And Tamatoa really, really didn’t want that.  
  
This was critical, he would only get one shot at making this impression. So, he kept this far more subtle than his somewhat malicious sitting style.  
  
“You’re moving them wrong,” he told him. “If you angle them like this—“ He tilted his antennae, but in such a way that it would minimize perception. “—it’s fine. But if you do this—“. He angled them more correctly—not perfectly, but enough to increase their effectiveness enough. “—you’ll end up with too much static.”  
  
Let him believe the more subtle, nuanced things he was smelling were aberrations, chaff to be ignored.

\---

Maui had noticed that perception, especially scenting, changed as his antennae moved around. It hadn’t occurred to him he might be able to improve that sense. What an interesting revelation!  
  
Too bad he didn’t trust Tamatoa on this one. The sitting position was becoming horrible and there was no way “proper” was supposed to be this painful.  
  
Tamatoa must be fucking with him.  
  
But, well, Maui supposed that was fair. It wasn’t as though he were innocent of fucking with Tamatoa.  
  
And he really wanted his friend in on his next adventure. Really wanted him to participate. So he would play along, for now.  
  
“Like this?” he asked, looking up at his antennae as he twitched them around, doing his best to get the angles deliberately wrong - but, in truth, that wasn’t too hard. Moving those things intentionally was still something he was wrapping his brain around. He also shifted his legs a bit, trying to get a bit more comfortable without letting his discomfort broadcast. At least for the moment, it was working in his favor.

\---

Tamatoa was pleased to see that Maui couldn’t really handle those antennae yet. “Yep, that’s fine right there,” he lied.  
  
His ruse had failed, but he didn’t have any way to know that. It was a big gamble and all he could do was hope that it worked. He really needed a break here.  
  
Apparently he wasn’t going to get one.

\---

Maui wiggled and waggled his antennae a little bit more, but his enthusiasm for this was gone. It was time to come back around to his initial question.  
  
“Well, thanks for the tips!” he enthused. He folded his legs back under himself, comfortably - pointedly. “Not really what I came here for, but that was nice. You’re a good friend!  
  
“And, as my good friend, I’m hoping you can help me out a little more, on my new project. Remember what I asked earlier? You got the scoop on any man-eaters I should be tracking down? Smart guy like you, I’m sure you know everything that goes on on this island!”

\---  
  
That drew Tamatoa up short.  Maui was asking again and, this time, there wasn’t even a hint of any subtle accusation leveled at him being the culprit.  His eyes narrowed.What was Maui up to?Whatever it was, Tamatoa didn’t like it and wanted no part of it.  
  
He stood up with deliberate grace–as much to gain height as it was to emphasize that Maui was a clumsy mess of a crab thus far.  
  
“I told you already:  No,” he reminded Maui firmly.  “There’s lots of other monsters on this island.”  His eyes drifted to the necklace strung around Maui’s neck.  “I don’t know anything about it.I can’t help you.”  
  
More like, _won’t_ help you.

\---

That wasn’t what Maui wanted to hear.  
  
In fact, he let go of his crab shape and turned back to his human skin just so he could raise an eyebrow questioningly.  
  
“Are you suggesting that all of the monsters on this island are to blame?” He tapped his fingers on his hook, though he held it down, his grip loose. “And that I should just pick from them all indiscriminately?”  
  
He looked at Tamatoa, a little sternly, before forcing himself to relax and soften both his posture and his tone. “You must have at least an idea, right? Anything that’s been a nuisance in other ways?”

\---  
  
Tamatoa felt on firmer ground with the demigod back in his normal shape, no longer posing as a crab.  
  
“I’m suggesting you do your own research, man,” he shot back.  “Go figure it out yourself.”  
  
Tamatoa was absolutely certain it couldn’t be traced back to himself, too.  He was far too clean, far too experienced to leave traces that Maui could find.  
  
But he didn’t like that stern look.  And even after Maui softened his tone, he was still in no mood to be helpful to the little pest.  He had no great love for his neighbors, but he had even less for this infuriating demigod.He wasn’t about to assist.  
  
The look he gave Maui was one of great finality.  
  
“You’re on your own.”

\---

At Tamatoa’s words, Maui fell still. The tone struck him silent.  
  
He had misjudged. Tamatoa wasn’t stepping up the way he wanted, the way he’d expected. It was frustrating.  
  
That, compounded with his frustrations in the caves just days before, made Maui a little bit angry.  
  
He wanted to lash out. Wanted to go for the monster right in front of him. Except that Tamatoa was his friend and friends didn’t do that to each other.  
  
So he took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.  
  
_Don’t get mad_ , he told himself. _Get even._  
  
“Well, gee, okay. If you say so.” He let his disappointment ring through his voice; this wasn’t that kind of an act, to need a smile. “I’ll just… go do that, I guess.” He stepped back, then turned and started walking away, across the sand. He didn’t transform; he didn’t even lift his hook out of the sand, instead letting it drag a line along beside him.  
  
He didn’t think Tamatoa would be swayed by his dejected act. No, any friend who would believe that would’ve been helping him before he got to that point. Rather, Maui was thinking.  
  
What would it take to force the crab into compliance?

\---

Tamatoa watched him go, a satisfied smirk on his lips.  That had been far easier than he expected.It was about time the demigod learned some damn boundaries.  And it pleased him to no end to see Maui mope off, sulking like a spoiled larva.And, best of all, he got off of Tamatoa’s beach and he abandoned his enormous crab shape.  
  
Feeling rather good about himself, Tamatoa turned and headed back to one of his caverns.  He hummed a pleasant tune to himself along the way.He’d considered today a victory of sorts and he was planning on enjoying that.  
  
But, it was getting late in the morning and he was due for some sleep after a long night.  So, he tempered his excitement and settled down in the sandy floor of his cavern, getting comfortable and slowly drifting off to sleep–unaware of what perils were likely to come from Maui’s anger.  
  
He’d go hunting again when the sun went down next.

\---

When Maui got back to the village, he called everyone together and laid down some rules:  
  
Do not go outside the village at night.  
  
Only go out during the day in large groups, or if Maui himself went with them.  
  
Catch as many fish as they could.  
  
There were, again, many protests, especially from the travelers who had recently arrived, but Maui held firm. There are monsters out there, he told them, just waiting to eat you.  
  
Maui was going to starve those monsters out.  
  
He identified and recruited several devout individuals to make sure his edicts were carried out, blessing them as they preferred in return.  
  
Then, with one food supply cut off, he turned to the other. He dove into the ocean and assumed his shark form, cutting quickly through the water out of the bay and west to Tamatoa’s shoreline.  
  
All the fish there were especially fun to chase, and tasty to eat.  
  
Maui alternated between shark and whale, but cleared the majority of sealife away from a good long span of coastline, chasing some all the way back to the bay for the humans to, hopefully, catch themselves.  
  
And then he settled into a holding pattern.  
  
The humans stayed corralled, and twice a day, every day, he cleared the fish from the south-western coastline. And every day, he flew over to inspect Tamatoa’s beach and the surrounding territory, watchful.  
  
It was only a matter of time before Tamatoa gave Maui what he wanted.

\---  
  
Tamatoa had been feeling pretty good in the wake of finally getting to mess with Maui for once, maybe even getting one over on him.  But his good mood didn’t last.  
  
The forests were empty again.   
  
The first night, he searched high and low, all throughout his territory–including the annexed section that had once belonged to the now-dead mantis shrimp.  There was nothing to be found.He searched the whole night through, but came up empty clawed nevertheless.  
  
Frustrated, he went to sleep hungry and angry when morning came.  
  
The next evening, he tried to look at it more clear-headedly.  Perhaps there was some sort of festival or gathering or something that had kept the forests empty, he rationalized.  It had happened before and he didn’t want to think on the alternative.  
  
On that second night, he started with a cursory search–not wasting too much energy on what might be a dead end.  When he found nothing once more, he grumpily marched down to the beach.Back to fish it was, then.  
  
But there were no fish.  
  
He moved up and down his whole shoreline, even the hard-to-reach areas where he had to cling to the side of the cliff and dangle over the crashing waves, but the fish were just gone.  
  
_There were no fish._  
  
The very thought chilled him and, while he’d like to have explained this away as a fluke of nature, a nagging thought kept creeping in that it might be something more.  When the sun came up, he once again found himself going to sleep hungry–hungry and exhausted.  
  
Surely the third night, though!  He spent the following evening searching, almost frantically, for anything.  The forests were still empty–no sign of humans or livestock or anything bigger than a songbird!–and there were still no fish–not even tiny ones!–along his shores.  He was deeply suspicious now, suspecting that, somehow, this was that demigod’s doing.There was little he could do about it, though, so he just seethed with impotent anger and kept trying.  
  
As the night wore on, he was starting to get desperate and a hint of panic began to creep in.  He stripped fruit from what few fruit-producing trees could be found in his part of the island and he ate leaves of little nutritional value.  It wasn’t nearly enough, though.He was going to have to take more drastic measures.  
  
Late in the evening, he started making raids on his neighbor’s territories.  It was risky, dangerous work.While he cared little for territorial boundaries when he and Aiata hunted together, poaching from other monsters solo was quite a different matter.  
  
He traveled north into the territory adjacent to his own, where Nākahi–the great viper–lived.  There were typically feral hogs found in abundance in Nākahi’s territory, which would at least be something to eat.  The snake monster was ridiculously dangerous–lightning fast, with strong coils to ensnare and long fangs full of venom.  But Tamatoa was getting desperate and had to take the chance.  
  
And he nearly ended up dead for his trouble.  Like most monsters, the snake was far more mellow during the daylight hours–which was usually when Tamatoa cut through his territory to get to the other side of the island.  But at night, when he found Tamatoa alone, trespassing and poaching on his territory, he attacked with a fury.And Tamatoa was tired, weakened from hunger.He managed to escape, but it was a close call.  
  
He trudged back home with nothing once more.  He didn’t sleep.  
  
On the fourth day he was getting extremely desperate.  After failing to sleep, he set off early in morning for his beach.  He’d try fishing in daylight.Maybe the fish would be there then.It was a long shot, but he was in dire straits and there wasn’t much else he could do.  
  
He waded out into the water, tired and hungry and frustrated and worried and edging towards despair.  And all that was writ large on him.He looked haggard, to say the least.An active crab, he was burning through fat reserves fast in his increasingly desperate nightly searches for food.  As such, he was looking a little thin in the face and abdomen in addition to the misery shadowing his expression.   
  
Maui had done his job well.  Tamatoa was feeling the pressure and suffering for it.

\---

Maui’s calm, patient, and methodical efforts finally yielded results. Four days without him, and it looked like Tamatoa was a _mess._

Sharp hawk vision picked out the sagging skin, drooping eyes and antennae, and limp movements as Tamatoa attempted to fish. Of course, very little would be there - Maui had cleared the whole coastline again just hours ago.

The crab was looking pretty desperate. He was _probably_ ready for Maui to show up, by now.

The demigod circled and began his descent, then transformed back to his human skin to land. He was still several dozen paces away from the monster crab, but he wanted to come in softly, gently; a hero looking to help. He walked slowly, fishhook slung casually over his shoulder, and kept a concerned expression affixed to his face.

“Hey, buddy,” he called out, as he got closer. “You’re not looking so good.”

\---

Tamatoa had been too tiredly focused on his–once again fruitless–task of fishing to notice Maui’s arrival.  It wasn’t until Maui spoke that Tamatoa’s antennae jerked out of the water and he turned to look back at the demigod casually strolling up.

He quickly looked the demigod up and down, eyeballing him like a particularly large steak.  But he reined his impulses back in, the spark of interest leaving his eyes.He was in no shape to even _attempt_ to attack something as dangerous as the demigod.  A few more days of starvation and he might have been desperate enough to try, but not today.

Then his eyes narrowed.  How _convenient_ that Maui showed up now.  Suddenly the idea that this sudden famine was _Maui’s_ doing didn’t seem very far-fetched at all. There was little he could do about it, though.  He was too tired and hungry.

Resigned, he waded out of the water–he wasn’t catching anything anyway–and gave Maui a dull glare, ignoring the demigod’s false concern.  “What do you want?”

\---

“Tell me what’s going on,” Maui suggested, concern carefully colored into his voice. He kept walking until he was right in front of Tamatoa, looking up at him. “You look like a total _wreck!”_

He reached out his hand, just barely brushed his fingers against Tamatoa’s nearest leg. “I just wanna help you out. What do you need? Someone bothering you?”

He couldn’t help himself - his expression shifted, just a little bit, when he asked, “Anybody you want me to get rid of, for you?”

His patience was worn thin. The itch was _strong_ , he needed to scratch it, but he needed Tamatoa to play his part in this game… in this _dance_. It wouldn’t be the same otherwise. Wouldn’t work as well.

If Tamatoa continued to resist… he didn’t know what he was going to do.

\---

Tamatoa looked down at him, not buying his _concern_ in the slightest.  The very fact that the demigod was putting on this act proved, as far as Tamatoa was concerned, that this was all _his_ doing.

His antennae twitched as Maui _touched_ him yet again.  He very much wanted to pull away, but he forced himself to be still despite that itchy, crawling feeling it sent under his exoskeleton.

And now Maui was asking him questions, as if he didn’t know the answers to them.

Well, he certainly wasn’t going admit to this damnable demigod that he couldn’t find anything to eat.

He _wanted_ to tell Maui to fuck off.  He _wanted_ to tell him to shove his fake _concern_ up whatever orifice would hurt the most.  His own patience was worn pretty thin today, too.

But Maui was asking about _others_ again.  Why was this so important to him?  Why did he care?There was no way this was just about the _humans_ , Tamatoa had figured out that much already.  This was something _else_.  But what?  What was the point?  All these questions rattled around Tamatoa’s mind, but he was too weary and couldn’t quite suss out the answers.

Despite all good sense, his thoughts drifted of their own accord to that snake up in the hills.  Tamatoa had been too clumsy and weak for that fight, but he’d been desperate.And it stung to have lost.  It stung even more to come home hungry still for all the trouble.Tamatoa was running out of options and maybe _this_ was an opportunity.

He stared back down at Maui as things began to crystalize.  What was this all about?Why was he _doing_ this?  Where was it all going to _end?_

Well, this was one way to find out.

“Actually,” he said, finally relenting against his own better judgement.  “There is something.”

He looked up, gaze angling towards the hills to the north.  “Nākahi, a giant krait–that’s a snake–is in the hills north of here, not far from the human settlement.  Causing trouble.”

Maybe this would solve two problems at once.  Getting rid of the snake would open up more territory for him to find food upon, after all.

And _this time_ , he’d tail Maui.  Maybe then he’d find out what this was _really_ all about.

\---

Apparently, somewhere deep down, Maui hadn’t actually expected Tamatoa to comply, because he found himself surprised in this moment.

Surprised… but _pleased._

“A snake, you say?” he asked. He turned to follow Tamatoa’s gaze, his eyes landing on a series of verdant, rolling hills. “And so close to the humans, well, that won’t do at _all.”_

His excitement was building, blood bubbling within his veins. He had a _target_ now. The itch moved from his mind to his skin and he felt antsy, too energetic, and unconsciously he triggered the magic in his fishhook; it lit up, a glowing blue tracing the carvings across it, mirroring the anticipation that traced through his nerves.

_Perfect._

He grinned, wide and unabashed, up at Tamatoa. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. Hopefully then you can start to feeling better!” He clapped his hand against Tamatoa’s leg again, but quickly turned and charged off, flashing into his hawk form with a ringing warcry and quickly gaining altitude.

He angled directly for those hills, and began his search. A snake in dense jungle was going to be difficult to locate, he figured, but he had sharp vision now to counter that. It wouldn’t take long to find it.

It wouldn’t take long at all.

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae jerked in surprise as the hook lit up, right there in front of him.  Then there _was_ something magical to it!  It was more than just a mundane weapon.  But was it the source of power?Or was Maui imbuing it with the power?  Focusing the power through it?Either way, Tamatoa knew there was something there.  That hook was important.

Then Maui _touched_ him again and, this time, Tamatoa flinched.  Fortunately, Maui was rushing away and likely didn’t even notice.

He was surprised at just _how fast_ the demigod had started off, too.  Maui didn’t ask any questions, didn’t even ask for a _physical description_ of the snake or where to _find_ it.  What was his hurry?

Well, Tamatoa needed to find out.  So, even as weary and exhausted as he was, he pushed it all aside and started towards the hills.

Whereas Maui was going to have to _search_ , Tamatoa knew exactly where the snake was likely to be.  If he hurried, he’d beat the demigod there and be well-concealed before Maui even arrived.

He moved fast through the forest, willing his tired limbs to keep going down the familiar trails.  To avoid being spotted from over head, he kept under the cover of the forest canopy.

Finally, he reached his destination.  Not far off, there was a wide clearing beside a stone cavern where the enormous snake liked to sleep in the heat of the day.  The end of the snake’s tail, striped black and blue and flattened to a swimming fin as it tapered towards the end, was sticking out of the cavern.  Flicking slowly back and forth every so often.

Antennae stretched ahead of him, Tamatoa tested the air.  He detected no trace of the demigod’s foul stench yet.All he could smell was the krait and his own scent, laid down the night before when they’d scuffled.

He’d beaten Maui here.

Relieved, he hurried to conceal himself in the leafier foliage that lined the clearing.  He worked quickly, hastily snipping down extra foliage to help conceal himself better.Once he was done, he carefully lifted his eyestalks out of cover and settled in to wait and watch.

\---

Maui swooped and soared and scoured the land beneath him, looking for the monster krait that Tamatoa had ratted out.

He only hoped this one proved more of a challenge than the mantis shrimp had.

Eventually he found a clearing near the base of a particularly large hill. There was a cave in the hill… and a striped tail in the clearing.

_Bingo_.

He angled himself to approach in a steep dive; the air rushed past, so fast, and he changed into his human skin halfway down. His hair streamed out behind him, and tears were ripped from his eyes from the force of the air against them, but he grinned. Now in a diving freefall, he took just a moment to crack his neck, then his knuckles - warming up for the fight to come.

He was closer now… closer… finally he took a deep breath and yelled out, “CHEE HOOO!”

Immediately after, he brought his hook down onto the tail laying so carelessly in the clearing, landing with a hard _thump_ that sent dirt and greenery flying in all directions.

Blood sprayed everywhere as the tail was severed. A hissing scream burst out from the cave, and not two seconds later a reptilian head emerged. Long, dripping fangs, full of what could only be toxic venom, were brandished as the snake opened its mouth wide.

“ _Who daressss tresspasss?!”_ it hissed in rage, but it didn’t wait for an answer. Maui had been ready to introduce himself, but quick as lightning the snake darted forward, aiming right for him.

Maui swung his hook, hard, and knocked that enormous head off to the side. “My name’s Maui,” he said, even as the snake quickly gathered itself and struck again. This time, Maui jumped out of the way.

“And somebody,” he continued, “ _really_ doesn’t like you.”

The snake hissed again and reared up. It was truly _enormous_ , over seventy feet into the sky like this, and poised to crush anything beneath it.

_“A fool who doessssn’t fear me!”_ it bellowed. The snake’s tail had been chopped off, but Maui quickly realized that had barely been the _tip_. Perhaps equivalent to him losing his little toe. Painful, but not debilitating.

He grinned, lips pulled wide and teeth displaying a threat of their own, eyes glistening with a malevolent fervor.

“Enough banter, you legless lizard!” he yelled up at it. “Come get me!”

In a flash, the snake was descending; but in that same instant, Maui switched back to hawk and leapt into the air. The two creatures rushed toward each other. Maui switched back at the last moment and swung with his hook, but the snake was too fast; only a shallow cut across its neck had hit.

Then, what was left of the tail came up and smacked Maui straight into the hillside, with enough force to shake the ground.

He hadn’t seen that coming. Bad Maui, he thought.

He stood and wiped the dirt and snakeblood from his face, but didn’t have a chance to brandish his hook. Again the snake was driving in to bite him, and again Maui changed shapes.

This time he took the form of the beetle, the smallest in his repertoire, and let himself fall straight to the ground. The snake was too big, then; though that venomous mouth closed right over him, it could not close so much as to capture him.

After the enormous jaws snapped closed above his little antennae, Maui changed back, growing in an instant and grabbing at the snake’s head. He couldn’t position his hands as well as he wanted, and he saw that tail coming back, so Maui elected to throw the snake away from himself.

The serpentine body sailed through the sky much as though it were flying, the blue stripes if its body mottling against the azure of the sky.  It crashed into the trees at the far side of the clearing, and was still for a long moment.

Maui laughed.

“Come on!” he called out. “Am I just so amazing you can’t get your _head_ wrapped around it?” The snake was thrashing around, trying to reorient itself amongst the trees. Maui took a running leap and landed halfway across the clearing. “Or maybe you just need a _break_ already?!”

Maui sprinted forward, but before he could reach the treeline the snake was on him again, snapping at him but driving him back rather than really trying to take a bite. Unable to watch the serpent’s tail when the teeth were so close, Maui soon became ensnared in the tightening coils of the snake, his hook still in hand but his whole arm trapped tightly against his body.

The snake was hissing again - something like “ _Wrap thisss!”_ \- but Maui just smirked.

“Yep, squeeze a little tighter, why doncha’? Chee hoo!”

He shapeshifted into his whale form.

The whale was much bigger than Maui’s human form. Immeasurably so. And the monster snake had been putting a _lot_ of effort into squeezing the life out of him.

That effort worked against the snake when the mass he was working against increased near-exponentially. Its body split in several places, almost bursting open from the pressure. Organs spilled, blood sprayed, and jagged, broken bones poked out from a ruined body.

And the snake _screamed_. It was a mortal, agonized, _infuriated_ scream.

Maui quickly went back to his human skin and cut his way free from what remained of the snake’s coils, causing even more damage to the serpent as he did so. However, busy as he was and as neck-deep in gore as he found himself, he missed it when the snake lunged, one last time, mouth open and fangs bared.

He looked up just in time.

A single fang sunk into his shoulder, but faster than lightning Maui’s hands were there to catch it. Barely more than a prick, but he could feel the venom being pumped under his skin.

“Ohhh, you clever thing, you,” he muttered. He flexed his hands - broke the fang off, leaving a sliver behind still in his shoulder - then, dropping his hook, he got one hand on the snake’s upper jaw and one on the lower.

He pushed the two apart.

The snake’s head tore in two. Blood and other things erupted out.

It was dead.

“Eugh, yuck,” Maui muttered, and patted tentatively at his hair before making a face. Then he looked at the fang-tip still lodged in his shoulder.

“…Fuck,” he expressed, eloquently.

He took up his hook then, and, with little fanfare, sliced into the meat of his shoulder. He circled the puncture entirely, digging deeper than the fang had managed to pierce, and allowed the blood to flow freely. He set his hook down then _squeezed_ , his hand upon his own shoulder, urging the bleeding to continue, convincing his own blood to leave his body and take the snake venom with it.

After several long, painful minutes of this, wherein his blood flowed down his body, made a puddle, and splashed back up against his legs, he finally let the pressure up. He went to the corpse of the snake and gathered its blood on his hands, then smeared it into his wound. Maui did this several times, saturating his wound with the blood of his enemy. Finally, he took up his hook again, pressed the flat of it against the injury, and closed his eyes. The fishhook lit up, bright blue tracing across the many carved lines, and his shoulder began to glow just like it. Streaks of azure raced through him, lighting up his blood vessels, until it was hard to tell where the fishhook stopped and his skin began.

It was not healing, the way a body would heal on its own, given time. But the magic of his fishhook wound its way through his body, finding any remaining traces of venom, and changing them to something _else_.

And the process left him, once the task was complete, more than a little inebriated: punch-drunk and exhausted.

Maui struggled to open his eyes. He wobbled as he took a few steps forward. His ‘chee hoo’ was slurred and far quieter than usual, but he still managed turn into his hawk shape and even take to the air.

It was a long, zig-zagged flight back to the village, but he made it. And he celebrated with the villagers, inviting them to join him in his less-than-sober state, which they did despite his bloody, fearsome appearance. And after hours of feasting and fun, Maui was able to sit down somewhere quiet, and reflect.

The itch was gone. His mind was settled. He was finally satisfied.

He opened his hand, still grasping the tip of the fang that had poisoned him.

Maui smiled perhaps the most frightening smile he’d yet unleashed on this island.

He had yet another new trophy.

\---

It all happened so fast that Tamatoa nearly missed it–the demigod plummeting silently out of the sky, the peace of the clearing shattered by his bellowing warcry, then the initial attack against the krait’s exposed tail.

Clearly Maui didn’t believe in warning shots.

The battle never slowed down, either.  Maui was _fast_.  Fast, and agile, the demigod leapt from form to form so quickly it was almost hard to keep track.  He was brutally strong and doggedly relentless, too.Tamatoa watched the fight unfold with the experienced eye of one no stranger to fights, taking in every detail–every move Maui made, every shape he assumed.  And it quickly became obvious that Maui was a formidable foe–possibly an unstoppable one.

Nākahi had no chance.

Maui never even questioned the snake about the missing humans–though this came as no surprise to Tamatoa.  No, this clearly wasn’t about protecting humans.Even at a distance, Tamatoa could read the gleam in the demigod’s eyes as easily as he could taste the scents in the air.  It all became quite clear.Maui was doing this for the sheer joy of it.

Then without warning the snake was flying through the air, arrowing towards where Tamatoa was concealed.  Alarmed, he ducked his eyes back into cover and braced himself.The creature slammed into the trees only a few meters from Tamatoa, sending a shower of leaves cascading down around him.  It lay there stunned and, for a moment, Tamatoa feared he was about to be discovered as Maui ran towards them.

The snake recovered, however, and struck back at the demigod and dragged the fight away.  Tamatoa lifted his eyes back up just in time to see the demigod shift to a massive humpback whale, tearing the snake to pieces.

And yet, in its dying moments, the snake fought on and struck Maui with a fang before the demigod split its head apart.  The creature was dead, but the damage was done.Tamatoa had seen the fang pierce Maui’s shoulder.The krait’s venom was fatally potent and Tamatoa’s heart leapt, hoping Maui would succumb to it, hoping his problems would be over.  And for a moment, judging by Maui’s colorful reaction, he thought it might be true.

But then something odd happened.  Tamatoa watched, perplexed, as the demigod had cut his own shoulder open around the wound.  The tantalizing scent of iron-rich blood flooded the air, sharply reminding Tamatoa of his hunger.  Concealed at the clearing’s edge, his claws flexed opened and closed with suppressed eagerness.He _longed_ to leap forward and strike at the demigod while he was weakened, crushing him between his pincers.  But the battle he had just witnessed was enough to hold him back.For now.

Instead, he watched curiously as the demigod smeared himself with the serpent’s blood and placed his hook along the wound.  The blue light streaking through the hook, then through Maui himself, made Tamatoa’s eyes go wide and round.He could _see_ the wound knitting itself together.

His suspicions were confirmed.  That hook _was_ magical in its own right–quite possibly even the _source_ of the incredible powers Maui held.

Tamatoa _had to get that hook_.

Then the demigod was flying off, drunkenly but not dead, and silence returned to the clearing.

Slowly, Tamatoa emerged from the trees.  He looked down at what remained of the once-feared krait of the hills in contemplation.  It was a bloody, shattered mess, torn pieces scattered about.Amongst the gore, he caught a pale, shining gleam–the curving fangs of the creature.  One was broken, its tip gone; but the other was whole.Carefully, he reached down and pulled the intact fang from the wreckage of the creature’s skull.  Pale, amber venom dripped from it–still liquid and fluid in the humid air.He looked at it a long moment, considering.Then he delicately placed it on his shell to take back with him.

His eyes drifted to the rest of the ruined snake and a half smile quirked his lip.

He wouldn’t go hungry today.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for gore and extra swearing.

Maui decided to stop chasing the fish away from Tamatoa’s beach.

It was hard work, after all, and Maui was feeling rather relaxed with a kill so recently behind him. And Tamatoa had played his role and named the monster for Maui to hunt, in the end. The crab deserved a break.

The humans, on the other hand…

The thing about humans, Maui reflected, was that they never made any _sense_.  And that was especially true in this village. The people, villagers and travelers alike, complained day in and day out that there were monsters on the island who never hesitated to eat them. So what did they do? Went out practically alone, at night, into the deep forest of the island, and got themselves eaten.

Stupid, stupid humans. Even if they were looking for treasure or a healing spring or whatever it was that Maui hadn’t been bothered to pay attention to.

So, when he established and enforced very reasonable rules about not leaving the village? Of course all the humans could do was then complain about that.

What did they even want him here for if they weren’t going to listen to what he said?

Maui was very glad that he’d managed to find Tamatoa so early. So glad to have somebody actually sane to talk to. Normally in a village he’d hit it off with some eager young warrior who’d become his protege; but here? Nope. Tamatoa had saved him from egregious boredom.

Well, when he could.

At this moment, however, the chief of the village was droning on and on about the incoming sails and why the people had to be allowed out when they got there, if not sooner, or doom and despair would be visited upon the village, nay, upon the whole island, and Maui…

…Maui was pretty sick of it.

These guys were killing his chill. Time to get some air.

It was not lost on Maui that he would be wandering alone, at night, into the thick forest surrounding the village, in contradiction to his own orders. But if the humans wanted the curfew over, fine, it was over. Maui had better things to do with his time than argue about their safety.  
He stood without a word and grabbed his hook. Then he turned, walked out of the meeting, out of the village, and into the forest, all without a word.

\---

Well, lo and behold, the fish _mysteriously_ returned the day after Maui killed the krait.  How _convenient_.  Tamatoa seethed.

A few days of leftover snake and fresh fish had driven the wanness from him, but the anger was not nearly so fleeting.  He knew, without a doubt, that it was Maui doing this to him.  Toying with him.  Starving him.  Manipulating him.

It infuriated Tamatoa, but he had to hold himself back.  After what he had seen, he knew he couldn’t win a straight fight against the demigod.  Not while he had that hook.  Not while he held such insurmountable power.

No, he had to rob the demigod of his advantage somehow.  Otherwise he’d end up torn to pieces, just like the krait, the mantis shrimp, and the avian monster of the mountains.  But, thus far, Tamatoa hadn’t been able to come up with a way to do that.

In the interim, he was working on building his strength back up.  The fishing had been good, but he wanted something more.  The forests, however, had remained empty for days, even after the fish returned.  Nevertheless, he checked every night for signs of change until, at last, he picked up the scent of warm-blooded prey in his woods again.

In the early dark of a moonless evening, Tamatoa smiled.

Dampening his bioluminescence, he set off into the forest, silent and nearly invisible among the shadowy trees.  The trail was easy to find.  Humans never took care to disguise their scent and, by the signs left for him, there were several in his woods tonight.  To start, he singled out one which had deviated from the others.  Solitary prey was always preferable–safer, less likely to retaliate.

Through the velvety dark of the perilous night, he stalked his quarry with single-minded focus.  The trail meandered, moving in confused circles and zig-zags.  More than likely, this human was hopelessly lost–easy prey.

He was getting close now, the scent growing stronger, and the thrill of anticipation began to creep in.  Muscles coiled tight and his senses singing with readiness, Tamatoa closed in.  His focus sharpened, instinct and experience weaving together to prime him for the coming chase.

There was movement in the shadows ahead, a bright flicker against a backdrop of darkness.  His quarry was revealed, bathed in a circle of pale light.  Tamatoa could smell the oily candlenuts burning on the human’s torch.  The illumination made it more difficult, making it harder to sneak up on the creature undetected.

Regardless, he crept in behind the human, every silent, measured step filled with the eager tension flooding him.  He was close.  So close.  Almost within grabbing reach.  So very close. 

Just a bit closer–

The human turned unexpectedly, swinging the ring of torchlight around.  The flame flared, then fell upon Tamatoa like a spotlight.  For a timeless instant, the human froze as it laid eyes upon the giant, grinning crab looming over it in the flickering firelight.

“Hello.”

The human shrieked, a cry of pure terror.  In a panic, it flung the torch to the ground, where the flame guttered out, and then the human bolted.

The chase was on.

Tamatoa took off after it, claws digging deep into the soft forest floor to help propel him along.  Every nerve was afire with the thrill of the hunt, driving him on.  The human darted left and right between trees, but Tamatoa was far faster and knew his territory better.  He kept up the pursuit, taking well-worn pathways through the wider-spaced trees to run the human down.

He could smell the sweat and fear pouring off his quarry.  The human was tiring.  It wouldn’t be long now.

Then came a stumble; the human caught its foot on a root and lost its balance.  Tamatoa felt another heated flash of excitement rush through him.  It was time.

The human didn’t go down, but it did slow enough that Tamatoa could catch up.  And catch up he did.  Every nerve was singing now, every sense tuned high.  The buzz of it all reached a peak, humming through his antennae, and monstrous instinct took over.

Tamatoa lunged forward, claws open.  The human tried to dodge, but it was hopeless.  One claw caught the human by the arm, another closed around its waist, and both nailed the human firmly down to the ground.  There was a great deal of screaming, the human thrashing and struggling uselessly against his massive pincers.  His antennae drifted over, soaking in the enticing scents, savoring them.  It had been far too long since he’d indulged in his favorite food.

With one claw holding his prey down by the waist, Tamatoa bent low and readjusted the grip of the other claw and gave it a sharp, twisting yank.  The human screamed once, high and shrill.  There was a crunching as fragile bones snapped and a wet rending of flesh, then the scream cut off abruptly.

Tamatoa rose again, the human’s torso gripped in his claw.  It had ripped straight across the middle, tearing it in half at the waist where his other claw was braced.  Blood streamed down, mixing with the shredded viscera dangling from the mangled corpse.

Not one to wait, Tamatoa immediately lifted it to take a bite, crunching through the delicate rib bones and reveling in the taste of hot blood and flesh–soft and crunchy and everything he had been missing the past week or two while Maui tampered with his resources.  He sighed, pleased.  It was wonderful and left him feeling warm and happy, almost making him forget his troubles for a while.

He made short work of the rest, leaving nothing behind except a small stain of blood on the soft peat of the forest floor.  Even this, he scraped over with his legs until it vanished into the earthy makeup of the soil and left no sign behind at the scene.  Only a thin crust of drying blood on his claws, to be cleaned away later when his evening hunts were complete, remained to indicate there had ever been a human there at all.

Now… to find the others.

It was easy to pick up the next scent trail, leading out towards the eastern edge of his territory.  Grinning wide and wicked with anticipation, Tamatoa rejoined the hunt as the moon finally began to rise into the sky and cast its silvery light over the forest.

Antennae held alert and every sense focused keenly on his environment, he did not fail to pick up a new scent mingling with the others, approaching slowly and without purpose from the edges of his territory.  It was one similar to humans, but distinct from them in a way all its own.

_Maui_.

Tamatoa’s bioluminescence flared, glowing brilliantly to life against the darkness.  His blood was up, still riding the wild energy of his late night hunt, and he changed his course almost without thought to intercept the intruder in his forest.

\---

The forest was passably cool at night. During the daytime the trees did a good job of keeping the sun off the ground, the shadows keeping the earth cool; then, when the breeze picked up in the evening, it chilled the air against the skin even more. By the time dark fell, a traveller might need a torch for warmth as much as for light.

Maui walked through it, letting the calm quiet soothe him and the coolness wash his hot temper away. He didn’t like getting all worked up like this so soon after a kill; this was the time to relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor. But one sure way to aggravate him was to be _unappreciative_. The villagers had appreciated it when he brought back that shrimp caviar, and killed the bird, and now for like two minutes after killing the krait.

But they kept wanting _more_.

He stewed in his thoughts even as his body relaxed. The walking burned off his agitated energy, the cool of the night soothed his burning anger, but his mind kept circling. He did things for mortals, but they always wanted more, and it was never _enough.  
_

Maui was so lost in these thoughts that he did not notice danger approaching. It was only the sudden absence of other sounds - no birds, insects, or small animals dared make a noise - that finally broke through to him.

He stopped walking, listening for any hint. He gripped his hook tighter, hefting it up and holding it ready. He could see so little in the dark.

…Until he realized that a blue-tinged glow was reflecting off of his hook. There was light behind him.

Maui spun, ready for anything.

\---

Tamatoa had begun his approach slowly, stealthily, but as he got closer, his pace quickened with excitement.  The thrill of the hunt had spilled over, flooding past all caution and urging him to attack this interloper--his tormentor, the one who had starved him.  All thought of strategy and prudence fled.  And once the demigod was in sight–unsuspecting, distracted–he smoothly shifted into a fast sprint forward.

Maui spun to face him at the last second, but Tamatoa was already upon him.  With a throaty growl, he struck.

A claw lashed out, flicking forward with the force of both the claw itself _and_ all of the considerable momentum possessed by thirty foot tall monster crab barreling forward at high speed.

Maui had picked the wrong damn time to go for a stroll in Tamatoa’s forest.

\---

…Okay, not ready for _anything.  
_

Maui was sucker-punched right in the gut and went _flying_. Perhaps only twenty feet or so, and the last half of that was more rolling along the ground, but it was still quite the _hit_ and Maui was pretty damn unhappy about it right now.

When he finally managed to stop himself and look up at his assailant, his eyes took in the manic glow, the angry eyes, the ready claws, but his mind only registered surprise.

“Tama _toa?”_ he asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

\---

Tamatoa stood firm in the wake of his initial strike, lowered in an aggressive crouch with his blood-crusted claws open.  Bioluminescence blazing bright, his eyes, filled with flashing color, bored down upon Maui–his quarry, down there in the dirt.  His teeth, gleaming in the dark, were exposed in a chilling rictus.  _Here_ was the monster that haunted the lowlands of this island on dark nights, inspiring fear amongst any who were unfortunate enough to come across him in those late watches.

“Well, well,” he crooned, lips twisting in a smile that was _anything_ but comradely.  “You’re out a little late, aren’t you?”  His smile grew wider, accentuated by his glowing lips.  “I don’t _entertain_ late night visitors.”

\---

Slowly, Maui stood, maintaining eye contact with Tamatoa.

This was not the crab as Maui was used to seeing him. He had known that Tamatoa sported bioluminescence in the dark, having found him once in a cave thanks to it; now, however, the bright, vivid markings traced along his face, antennae, and legs, and bright fields of blue glow dusted his claws and shell.

But what was _really_ different now was Tamatoa’s demeanor. Cold, sarcastic, angry… not at all the quasi-friendly interactions of late, nor the quavering, cowardly creature that Maui had at first taken him for.

_This_ was Tamatoa. This was the monster in truth.

Maui smiled.

“Not nearly as late as I thought it was,” he quipped. “Your garish glow is so bright I thought dawn was coming early.” He looked Tamatoa up and down, deliberately taking stock. There was blood on his claws, on his teeth, dark streaks against the crab’s bioluminescence. Maui could smell the tang of it now. This close to the village, it could only mean one thing. His grip tightened on his hook; Tamatoa was awfully close to breaking the charade. And Maui would’ve hated for that to happen.

“Looks like you’ve been making your own entertainment, I see.”

\---

Tamatoa didn’t miss the shift in Maui’s grip upon the hook, but was far too keyed up let it dampen his bloody fervor.  Here before him was the one responsible for all his misery of late.  This damned semi-god had tried to starve him, had manipulated him, had forced him to play along with his own twisted bloodsport.  Hatred was not something Tamatoa had been intimate with before, but he was fast coming to know what true hate was thanks to Maui.  Blinded by that building fury and riding the night’s wave of feral energy, he was in no mood to stop and _think_ about what he might be getting himself into.  He was swept up in the moment and the thought of what he’d witnessed days prior was far from his mind.

As such, he sneered back at Maui with a malevolent twist of his lip.  “I _always_ find ways to _entertain_ myself.”  He licked his teeth with a languid, exaggerated sweep of his tongue, smugly flaunting the truth without stating it aloud.

There was an intensity in his eyes as they held Maui’s gaze, drawing tension out of the very air between them.  His claws tapped lightly together, a small gesture full of big warning.  

“You should mind your own business.”

Then he began to slowly circle in.

\---

This was serious. Tamatoa was being _deadly_ serious, his attitude highlighted by his cold, offensive tone and predatory circling.

That’s too bad, Maui thought.

He circled in his spot, turning to face Tamatoa as the monster crab drew nearer. He didn’t look away, didn’t even _blink;_ monsters attacked at the slightest opportunity.

“So that’s it, then, huh?” he asked, just to break the silence. “We’ve been reduced to this? After everything I’ve done for you?”

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes blazed ever brighter, fury filling him at that comment.  “After _everything you’ve done?!_ ” he spat, every word dripping venom nearly as potent as the slain krait’s.  “Even _half_ of what _you’ve done_ would have earned you this.”

He was closing in now, his circles growing ever smaller.  Every muscle was tense and every limb was quivering with anticipation as he waited for his moment.  All his senses were fixed on his foe, on this fleshy mini-god whom he wanted fervently to tear apart between his claws.

He gathered himself and his limbs stilled, a chilly lucidity settling on him as he prepared to spring forward.

\---

_Here it comes_ , Maui thought. His needling had been successful. He gripped his weapon even tighter, prepared to swing and meet Tamatoa’s attack.

He inhaled, ready… ready….

“Greetings, Maui,” a voice broke through the tension like a rock crashing through the hull of a canoe. “Are you in need of any assistance fighting this monster?”

Maui stopped. Froze, more like. His eyes went wide and he held off a blink - can’t blink, monster about to attack! - but he looked off to the side.

And there stood Tuahangata. Demigod of butterflies and trees and the color green and other stupid shit like that. Tuahangata with his magic, blunted _pounamu-_ tipped spear that was nonetheless rather deadly. Tuahangata who _loved_ humans and _hated_ monsters and who would do _anything_ to save the former from the latter.

Maui hated this guy.

“…Aw, fuck,” he cursed, _actually_ angry now. He faced Tamatoa still, but was looking at this interloper with narrowed eyes. “What are _you_ doing here?”

\---

Tamatoa had been barely fractions of a second away from launching himself forward when a new voice had sliced straight through his focus.  His antennae shot up in surprise and his bioluminescence flickered, the vivid color draining away from his eyes as he broke off the coming attack.

One eye stayed fixed on Maui, but the other whipped to the side to look at this interloper and his antennae followed, flicking towards this stranger as well.

Like Maui, this one was well-muscled and his brown skin was patterned in tattoo markings, but by contrast this stranger’s tattoos were less flashy and contained mostly subdued symbols, rather than elaborate scenes of feats and battles.  Also unlike Maui, this newcomer was less meaty and heavily set, instead having a more athletic and sleek profile.  He wore his hair in a topknot, rather than loose and wild as Maui’s mane did.  More important, however, was the main similarity between the two.  This stranger radiated the same _energy_ as Maui.  It only took the briefest assessment of that energy to realize with shock what he was looking at:  _another demigod_.

There were _two_ of them now!

The wild energy which had gripped him only moments before fled in the face of this realization and he reeled backwards several hasty steps as _reason_ returned.  Suddenly remembering himself and, worse, remembering what Maui was capable of, Tamatoa was instantly cognizant that he was about to be in _way_ over his head.

\---

_“Language,_ Maui!” Tuahangata clucked his tongue, disapprovingly. “Even in front of a monster.” Maui watched as the other demigod’s eyes flicked to Tamatoa, and rage boiled in his veins at that. Tamatoa was _his!  
_

He also noticed Tamatoa backing off several paces, the gleam in his eyes dissolving and surprise and fear moving in. That made him much less of a threat, at least for now.

Maui turned to fully confront Tuahangata, grip on his fishhook still deadly-tight, even as he tried to shove his anger down into annoyance. He _hated_ interruptions, and leaving a fight unfinished, but he couldn’t be blinded by rage right now. He had to _think.  
_

“Hey!” he snapped. “Eyes on me, creep, and _he’s_ my best friend so you leave him out of it!” Tactical surprise was always helpful.

Tuahangata did look back at Maui, but with a snort and an incredulous expression instead of surprised astonishment. “ _’Best friend?’_ Maui, that is a _monster._ And you were, rightfully, about to tear him apart!”

Maui shrugged. “ _Yes,_ my friend. And we had a disagreement. You and I have fought over less.”

Then the demigod’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve fought over _more_ , too,” he said, pointedly.

Maui couldn’t help it, then: he rolled his eyes.

“Oh, come _on_ , you jackass, that was _thousands of years ago_ and nobody remembers that island anymore except _you.”_ In his exasperation, he let go of his fighting stance, sticking his hook nonchalantly into the sand and slouching over it.

Tuahangata was angry now, too; but he wasn’t looking at Tamatoa. Maui hoped the crab would take the hint and _leave_ , before Tua realized he’d been distracted. Because Tuahangata _would_ attack Tamatoa if given a chance.

And Maui didn’t know if he could stop the other demigod in time.

Luckily, for now, Tua’s attention was fixed firmly on Maui.

“That island was my _home_ ,” he seethed. “My people lived there! And you infuriated Pele and _destroyed_ it!”

\---

Tamatoa listened, but only long enough to ascertain a few things in rapid order.

First, the stranger and Maui _knew_ each other.

Second, they did _not_ like each other.

And, third, it was time to _get out of here_.

Maui had refocused his attention on this newcomer and had dropped out of a fighting stance.  Tamatoa felt a twinge.  He wanted to finish what he started, he wanted to put an end to Maui.  But he wasn’t prepared to fight even _one_ of them, much less _both_.

He clenched his pincers shut.  He wanted this to be over, wanted to be rid of his tormentor.  But he had to concede that this wasn’t the right time.

So, while the two argued and their attention focused on each other, he let his bioluminescence fade slowly to black, then melted silently into the shadows.  Whisper quiet, he disappeared back into the forest and headed for the safety provided deeper into the heart of his territory.

There would be another time for this.  Until then, he was going to have to regroup and find out just who this stranger was.

As he vanished into the night, a new and promising thought occurred to him.  Clearly these two demigods did not get along.  Tamatoa considered himself to be quite a smooth talker.  Perhaps he might be able to recruit this stranger as an ally against Maui.

He’d have to find out.

\---

Maui did _not_ look at Tamatoa as the crab silently slunk away. He didn’t want to draw Tuahangata’s attention to him.

He continued to banter with and insult the other demigod, but inside he was seething. This was _his_ island. _His_ village and humans. The monsters here were _his_ to kill.

And Tamatoa was his, too; friend… or, as had been made pretty damn clear just now, foe.

But all that might have to be put aside until Tuahangata left. This guy was always ruining Maui’s fun. He actually stood for things, made a point of always following his strict moral code.

Maui thought the stick up his ass was maybe three sizes too big.

They had clashed many times in the past. Tuahangata didn’t approve of Maui’s methods, and took it upon himself to censor and obstruct Maui’s actions whenever he was nearby. He was a thorn in Maui’s side, and had been since… well, since nearly the beginning.

And Maui was awful tired of it.

An idea sparked in his mind.

He’d never been able to defeat Tua - they were too evenly matched. But… he’d never had a monster for a best friend before.

Maybe.

Just maybe….

“-to the village, now.” 

The end of the sentence finally broke into Maui’s thoughts, and he realized that’d he’d stopped paying attention to the other demigod. And Tuahangata seemed to have noticed, given the way he was scrutinizing him by the magically-glowing light of his greenstone speartip.

Maui grinned easily, nonchalant, guessing at the start of Tua’s remark. “Sure, why not? You know the way?”

Tuahangata nodded. “I can find the way. What about the monster? Shall we track in down in the morning?”

He was pushing Maui. Wanted him to commit himself to something, one way or another, pick a side.

And it would have worked if Maui’d had any compunctions about lying.

“Sure thing!” he agreed. “We’ll head out before dawn.”

But he had no intention of actually doing that.

\---

Tamatoa had indeed slunk off, making good on his escape.  It wasn’t running away, though.  No, it was a _tactical retreat_.

In the wake of this latest surprise, his enthusiasm for the night’s activities had waned considerably.  He abandoned the forest near the village for the evening.  Hunting there was far too risky with not one, but _two_ demigods on the prowl.  So he headed for the beach, to supplement his first meal with some fish instead.

Wading in the serene water and feeling the thrill of the hunt wash away as surely as the sea rinsed the blood from his claws, his brain finally caught up with him.  As calm returned, he had to concede that it had probably been a bad idea to confront Maui like that.  He _knew_ that Maui was dangerous–far too dangerous to attack head on.  He’d seen first hand only a few days before what Maui was capable of, but his blood had been up, caught in the wild exhilaration of the chase, and yet he had let himself make some rather poor, impulsive decisions.

Now he had to do damage control.  His thought from earlier resurfaced.  Perhaps he could turn this to his advantage.  Maui had no love for this newcomer, that much was obvious.  Perhaps Tamatoa could find an ally in this stranger–someone who could help him get rid of Maui for good.

So, once he had caught enough fish to sate him and had cleaned the last traces of blood from himself, Tamatoa stepped from the sea with new purpose.

The sun was just starting to illuminate the clouds overhead with a pale, pre-dawn glow as Tamatoa set back off into his forest.  He would do a sweep of the edges near the village, patrolling his borders and looking for any sign of the strange demigod.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curious as to what Tuahangata looks like?
> 
> His appearance is loosely inspired by this drawing: [Maori Warrior](https://www.deviantart.com/iara-art/art/Maori-Warrior-666648454) by [iara-art](https://www.deviantart.com/iara-art) (Referenced with permission.)

To say that Tuahangata didn’t get along with Maui would be an understatement… or perhaps an outright lie. It was  _ far _ worse than that.

Tuahangata was everything that a hero was supposed to be, and did everything a demigod was supposed to do. And that list was simple: help the humans.

Maui, on the other hand, was a  _ disgrace. _ He used humans to his own purposes and cared little, if at all, for their welfare. And while Tuahangata  _ could  _ agree with Maui on killing monsters, especially those that presented a clear and present danger to humans, the  _ manner _ in which Maui dispatched them was… disturbing. To say the least.

But  _ now _ here Maui was claiming to be  _ best friends _ with a monster. That was  _ far _ past too far for Tuahangata, no matter how much of a joke he suspected it to be.

Nobody was friends with monsters. That wasn’t how the world worked.

When dawn came, Maui, predictably, was generally of no help. Tuahangata prayed to the gods for patience and for Maui to gain maybe just a little bit of decency. Sleeping late, eating loudly, finding things to slow them down… Maui was being a deliberate nuisance.

And Tuahangata was far beyond the point of putting up with that. Centuries beyond. So he left, slipping away when Maui was otherwise occupied.

The sun had just peeked over the horizon when Tuahangata entered the forest beyond the village. He struck out towards the place he had found Maui and the large crab monster; from there, he would attempt to track the creature back to its lair. And, once there, he would take care of at least  _ one  _ problem that had been bothering the humans as of late.

If Maui wasn’t going to do his job, Tuahangata would have to. And do it  _ better  _ than Maui ever could.

\---

Tamatoa picked up the scent of the strange demigod easily.  Like most human-shaped creatures, he didn’t bother to disguise his scent, and so it was fairly simple to track him as he crossed into Tamatoa’s territory.

Tamatoa approached obliquely, swinging wide around the stranger to approach from behind.  It was more difficult to conceal his bulk in the morning light, so he hung back at a good distance, stealthily following along, shadowing and observing this stranger from afar.

The demigod carried a weapon–a spear, Tamatoa  _ hated _ spears–and moved with a single-minded purpose through the forests.  From what Tamatoa could gauge, this new demigod seemed calm, alert, and confident.  He lacked the  _ chaotic _ scent that Maui seemed to exude, the buzzing turmoil beneath the surface that characterized Maui’s overall impression.

But that didn’t make him any less dangerous, Tamatoa knew.  Just less unpredictable.

Tamatoa remained cautious.  Everything that had happened over the past few months (had it really been so long since this all began??) had left him wary.  So, he waited patiently and edged around to a more favorable position ahead of the demigod’s path.

The entrance to his cliffside cavern was nearby, unused since Tamatoa had discovered Maui could shapeshift into a hawk but still well concealed.  When this demigod stepped into the clearing adjacent to that hidden entrance, Tamatoa made his move.

He stepped smoothly into view, smearing an oily smile across his features.  His claws were held low, non-threatening and appearing relaxed, though he was ready to change that at a moment’s notice.  He maintained his best illusion of amicable peace and friendliness–as best a 30′ crab monster could manage, anyway. He was careful, however, not to get  _ too  _ close yet.

“Well, hello,” he started off, voice smooth.  “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.”

\---

Tuahangata spun, startled, when a voice spoke from somewhere off to his side. And there, standing still and smiling a greasy smile, was the same monster from the night before.

The monster’s words caught up to him, and he smirked, twirling his spear into a ready position. “A monster like you needs no introduction,  _ maneater,”  _ he said. “But I’ll give you the courtesy of my own name; Tuahangata will be the last name you ever hear.”

With that he sprung forward, faster than the tradewinds, his dully-pointed spear poised to be thrown into the soft flesh of this creature’s neck.

\---

Perhaps his own experience with demigods had been informed by his interactions with Maui of late, and therefore not the most representative and even somewhat skewed, but Tamatoa hadn’t been expecting  _ that! _  He hadn’t been expecting an  _ immediate _ attack!

He was alert enough, however, that he made a hasty dodge, diving away from the onrushing demigod– _ Tuahangata _ , he had called himself.

“Now, wait a minute!” Tamatoa protested.  “Let’s talk this over!”

He had grown used to dealing with Maui, which was a dangerous game, but one which had been more subterfuge and less  _ direct action _ .  It left him somewhat unprepared to deal with a demigod of true conviction.

\---

Tuahangata did not, in fact, wait a minute.

He didn’t wait at all.

Instead, he pushed his legs faster and got into close quarters with the monster. Then he leapt and jabbed his spear forward, aiming to sever any arteries that would be laying in the center.

His spear was  _ much _ sharper than it appeared.

However, fast as he was, the monster was fast as well, and managed to evade the worst of his attack. A thin line appeared in the flesh, and blue blood began to leak from it; but before he could ascertain the extent of the damage he’d caused, Tuahangata was flying past, carried forward by his own momentum. He sailed over the monster’s shoulder and landed on its shell, then spun again to continue his attack.

\---

The spear slashed along Tamatoa’s neck, slicing a long gash in the softer, unprotected flesh there.  He snarled in pain and fury, anger welling up as surely as the blood from the wound. This guy wasn’t even  _ listening _ to him!

And the demigod was  _ fast _ .  So fast!  He felt Tuahangata land on his shell, already turning to attack again.  Tamatoa moved quickly into a spin of his own, tilting his shell at the same time to throw the demigod off balance and hopefully fling him off his back.

“C’mon, man!” he tried again.  “We’ve got a mutual enemy! Work with me here!”

Even as he spoke, it was already (literally!) painfully obvious that this was a different sort of demigod from Maui.  This was a totally different game and Tamatoa wasn’t sure he could win it.

\---

Tuahangata was thrown off his feet from the monster’s sudden spin, but he managed to catch himself on the edge of the shell before he could be flung away.

Unable to attack with his weapon at the moment, he instead matched words: “Maui is a demigod. He and I may not be  _ friends _ , but he’s never harmed a human. That’s far more than  _ you _ can say!”

There was nothing for it; the centripetal force of the spin was too much for him. Tuahangata released his hold on the shell and was whipped by the air as he fell toward the ground. He landed gracefully, then looked back up at the monster.

“And I will never work with the likes of  _ you _ ,” he grimly affirmed.

\---

Well, this wasn’t going to work out like he hoped.  Clearly, this guy was a true believer. A zealot. A hero who couldn’t be reasoned with.

Tamatoa was disappointed.  For a moment, he had foolishly thought that this guy might be his key to getting rid of Maui.  To his dismay, it didn’t sound like Tuahangata was going to listen to  _ anything _ Tamatoa proposed.

All this fuss over some dumb, squishy humans.  He’d never understand it.

“Well, if that’s the way it is, then…”

He turned to face the demigod, claws open.  There was no posturing this time, no threat displays–he skipped all of the expressions of dominance that had preceded his confrontation with Maui.  There was no need for that dance here. Instead he just swung immediately into a low, aggressive stance.

Then he lunged.

\---

Tuahangata was prepared for the monster’s lunge, and sprang to meet it. Those crushing claws were huge, and  _ fast, _ and he knew the situation would become dire rather quickly if he were caught up by even one of them.

Best not to do that, then.

When the first claw came at him, Tuahangata jumped, up and forward. He waited for the second claw to come at him, to pluck him out of the air. What a tempting target he made, hanging in the air with no traction…

Except that Tuahangata was as at home in the air as he was on land. When the second claw came swinging up, opened wide and ready to snap closed upon him, he pivoted in the air. He pointed his spear, then fell.

It all happened in an instant.

The spear stabbed into the claw, even through the thick exoskeleton. It was not as squarely-centered as Tuahangata would have liked, but the monster  _ was _ fast. His downward momentum pushed the claw down ahead of him, and the spear punched through, driving into the ground.

The monster was pinned.

\---

Everything happened so quickly that Tamatoa barely had time to process when the demigod shifted mid-air and changed trajectories, evading his grasp.

Then came the pain.

As the spear pierced his exoskeleton, he let out an anguished howl.  He swiftly found his claw pinned firmly to the ground, pain radiating from where the spear had driven right through it.  His first frantic impulse was to yank his claw reflexively away, but at the slightest tug the pain spiked even higher as the spear pulled and shifted.  He yowled again.

He  _ had _ to get his claw free, though.  This wasn’t a fight he was going to win, he could see that now.  Tamatoa had made a mistake, a grave error of judgement. The demigod was too fast, too strong, and too efficient.  He was also still on Tamatoa’s pincer, holding it down.

_ He had to get free _ .

Fighting through the pain in his trapped claw, Tamatoa grit his teeth and swung his other claw at Tuahangata.  He had to get the demigod off him so he could get his claw loose. He had to escape.

\---

The monster howled in pain and began, then aborted, a tug of its trapped claw against his spear. But it was no use; that spear wasn’t going anywhere.

Tuahangata got his feet underneath him and was ready to sprint up the limb to get back to the head. However, out of the corner of his eye he saw the other claw swinging at him again. It was too close; he’d have to knock it away.

He braced himself against the claw he stood on, and as the other got near enough he shot his fist out in a punch, intending on taking that claw out of commission.

\---

Tamatoa saw the demigod’s fist rushing forward to meet his claw and, in a split second decision, changed his angle.  He stopped his claw at the last possible instant before making contact, a hair’s breadth away from the demigod’s approaching fist.  Then, with practiced precision, he closed his pincer.

The tips met, clamping firmly over the demigod’s wrist, just behind the clenched hand.  He used Tuahangata’s own momentum against him, yanking the demigod forward and off his feet with a sharp tug.  Then he whipped his claw to the side and  _ released _ , flinging the demigod with all his strength towards the cliffs overlooking the sea.

As soon as the demigod was off him, he immediately turned his attention to his captive claw.  He pulled, trying first to get the spear out of the ground without removing it from his pincer yet, but the spear wouldn’t budge.  Damn  _ magic sticks! _  Worse still, every little movement–every tiny motion as he tried to pull free–of the spear buried within his flesh sent waves of pain rippling up his arm.

His eyes darted towards where he’d flung the demigod, expecting him back any second.  There was no way of knowing how far he’d thrown him or how long it would take him to get back.  Tamatoa had to hurry.

With a sinking feeling, he realized what he was going to have to do.  He squeezed his eyes shut, steadying himself. Then he slowly began to pull his injured pincer up, sliding it up along the spear’s shaft.  An undignified whimper escaped him through clenched teeth as the rough wooden shaft of the spear slid through his flesh, sending pain spidering through him.  It grew worse once the butt-end of the spear passed into his claw, as then the spear shifted and moved and wobbled far more with less constraining it and keeping it straight.  

Then, drawing a final gasp of pain from him, it was finally out!

Blood ran down his claw with the wooden haft of the spear no longer plugging the wound, leaving blue spatters across his exoskeleton and the soft earth beneath him.  But that was of little importance now. He was  _ free! _

Without wasting a moment, he turned and fled into his forest.  Clutching his dripping claw, he made for the safety of his shelter by the river.

\---

As he sailed freely through the air, clutching his probably-broken wrist, Tuahangata had to hand it to the monster: that was a clever move. As he splashed down into the water at the base of the cliff, he firmed his resolve to rid this island of that and all other monsters, and make the place safe for humans. And, finally, as he stared up the cliff he’d have to climb to get his spear back, he decided that this quest could wait a day or two while he healed. Getting up there was going to be hard and long enough already.

\---

Maui was viciously satisfied to see Tuahangata limping back into the village that evening, spear held up against his shoulder and favoring one wrist. Served him right, traipsing out like that  _ alone _ . Not that Maui would have backed him up in any fight he’d gotten himself into, had he actually gone along.

However, his eyes caught on the blue bloodstains along the entire haft of Tua’s spear. It looked just like the blood of the mantis shrimp. Maui’s eyes narrowed.

There was only one other crustacean on this island that he knew about. And that crab happened to live  _ rather _ close to the village.

The thought that Tuahangata had engaged in more of a fight with Tamatoa than  _ he _ had managed… made Maui angry. Jealous. Unsettled. And several other emotions he couldn’t name, or didn’t care to.

But it was too late to do anything about it now. He had to get information from Tua. He had to sabotage the other demigod’s efforts while he was at it. And…

And, he had to think more about the plan brewing in the back of his mind.

He’d go visit Tamatoa in the morning. Surely the crab would survive until then.

\---

Once safely away from Tuahangata, Tamatoa had inspected his aching claw.  The spear had gone all the way through it, leaving two round holes–one one either side.  Bringing his claw closer to his eyes for inspection, he could see his own pale flesh within–an unsettling thing.  The bleeding had finally stopped, though, and he could make out the thin crust of a scab starting to form under his exoskeleton.

Gingerly, he had rinsed the wound in the fast moving water of the stream–hissing in pain as it stung bitterly.  And he’d found a few  _ tamanu _ seeds nearby, which he crushed between his uninjured pincer to extract their oils.  This he smeared into both puncture holes and packed them with clean leaves to keep the dirt out.

Then he had retreated to the cavern by the river, its entrance draped with vines and hanging plants for concealment.  And there he stayed all day and through the whole night, alternating between moping and sulking and feeling sorry for himself (three very different things, mind you!).  His pride was just about as hurt as his claw, to be honest. He hadn’t had  _ any _ kind of halfway decent luck at all lately, not since Maui had come crashing into his life and ruined his pleasant lifestyle.

He didn’t even go out to hunt or fish, not wanting to dip his hurt claw in the saltwater of the sea or risk injuring it further fighting with land-based prey.  He’d been hunting well the past few days, though, so he would manage a night off without too much stress.

Morning found him still there, sprawled in deepest part of the cavern, injured pincer tucked protectively behind the unhurt one, upon which he was also resting his head as he laid there unhappily.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra Warning: Gore! So much gore. Get your gore-tex boots, you're gonna need them.

Tuahangata was still sleeping. Considering the other demigod _rarely_ slept, this was a stroke of luck. Maui left without him.

He didn’t know where Tamatoa was going to be, but he knew where to start looking. Tua had given Maui all of the details he’d needed last night. Now, as a hawk, he flew straight to the cliff not far from Tamatoa’s beach.

From the air Maui could spot signs of a recent fight. He landed and, after switching back to his human shape, looked around. It quickly became evident that the crab had beat a hasty retreat - most battles with a demigod involved quite a bit more destruction to the surrounding area.

But… there. Maui walked forward and looked down, consideringly. There was the hole from Tua’s spear, and there was a small, dried puddle of blue blood around it. And next to it, more drops; and further on, yet more.

Tamatoa had left a trail of blood for Maui to follow. And, as the sun eased into the day, follow it he did.

It took almost an hour before the trail, growing ever fainter, disappeared into a cave near the river. A bolt hole that Maui hadn’t found before, in his first search for Tamatoa. He noted its position for future reference, then ducked inside.

Tamatoa was still sleeping, too.

Unlike the previous occasions when Maui had come across Tamatoa unaware, he did not immediately jump to aggression. Instead, he took his time inspecting the sleeping monster, looking for further injuries that Tuahangata had perhaps neglected to mention, but found none.

Maui shook his head. Tua _really_ needed to get better at misdirection.

But, in which case, Maui knew just where to look next.

Tamatoa’s injured claw was safely tucked away behind his other claw and under his chin, and it would be difficult to extract it without waking Tamatoa. So, Maui didn’t bother. He simply laid his hands on the protected claw and pulled, sliding it out into the open and quickly locating the wound.

Yep. That looked like it hurt.

\---

Tamatoa was fast asleep.  Not necessarily comfortably, but deeply just the same.  Then something began to filter in, rising above the persistent ache in his claw.  Something… 

_Something was touching him.  
_

His eyes opened and he blearily blinked the haze of sleep away.  Something was pulling on his hurt claw.  Groggily, his eyestalks swiveled to look.

His eyes instantly went wide when they landed upon Maui.  Maui, who he’d been on the verge of a serious fight with the last time they saw each other.  Maui, who had been _manhandling his injured claw_ while he slept.

Reacting purely on reflex, Tamatoa jerked his claw away, drawing it protectively back towards himself.  He would have liked to have backed away too, but he was already backed all the way up against the rear of the cavern and was, essentially, trapped between it and Maui.

He was too startled and too sleepy to scramble to his feet just yet.  Nevertheless, he brought is unhurt claw to bear out front defensively, opening it in warning.

\---

Well, apparently Tamatoa hadn’t been sleeping too deeply.

Maui looked up at him as the crab pulled his injured claw away, taking in the wide, if sleep-fogged, eyes and the other claw opened in threat.

After their last encounter, Maui couldn’t blame Tamatoa for feeling defensive.

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t move otherwise.

“So,” he began nonchalantly. “Seems like we’ve got a _mutual enemy._ Care to work with me on that?”

\---

Tamatoa blinked in sleepy surprise, the haze starting to clear away as Maui’s words sank in, only to be replaced with suspicion and wariness.  Particularly at his choice of words.  Did Maui _know_ that he’d tried to recruit the other demigod?

Tamatoa wasn’t sure.  Maui wasn’t attacking, though.  And Maui had been _right here_ , manhandling him while he slept.  A chill ran through Tamatoa.  Maui might have easily killed him in his sleep.  He hadn’t, though.  Why?  And now he was asking for _help?  
_

They were good questions.  Tamatoa shook off the last remnants of grogginess, narrowing his eyes.  He didn’t relax his open claw.

“Why?  Why would I _help_ you?”

\---

“We would be helping each other, really,” Maui answered. “Tuahangata is a thorn in my side, but,” his eyes dropped to the gash on Tamatoa’s neck and he nodded, pointing it out, “he’s gonna give _you_ more than few scratches.” He met Tamatoa’s eyes again, wryly smiling. “Trust me on that.”

\---

Tamatoa scowled, his eyes following Maui’s gaze.  It was probably _true_ , but that didn’t mean he liked _hearing_ it.

Tuahangata was clearly the dedicated, zealous type.  Tamatoa had seen enough already to get that read loud and clear.  One of those so-called _heroes_ , who couldn’t be reasoned with and took a rather dim view towards perfectly normal feeding behaviors.

His eyes flicked back to Maui, looking him up and down.  Maui was _awful_.  He was undeniably dangerous and pretty soon one of them was likely going to end up killing the other.

But… Tamatoa had seen that Maui _could_ be manipulated.  He _could_ be forestalled.  And he clearly had no _real_ moral compass.  His violence was for pleasure, not a dogmatic crusade.

Ideally, he wanted them _both_ gone.  But he recognized that he couldn’t get rid of this newcomer on his own; and the newcomer wasn’t going to help him get rid of Maui.

Reluctantly, he realized this might be his only option.

But he didn’t want to turn over so easily.  He’d string this out a little, make Maui justify himself.  Maybe even get him to offer something up in return.

“And why would _you_ want to get rid of him?  He’s a demigod like you.”

\---

Maui snorted… then full out laughed.

“Tuahangata is _nothing_ like me,” he stated. Tuahangata had been _made_ a demigod, put together piece by piece by the gods, everything done with careful intention. Maui… had not been.

“And he’s no friend, either. We want completely different things, and I’m tired of him getting in my way.” He paused, considering what to say next.

“I’ve never been able to beat him on my own - and we’ve fought _many_ times. We’re too evenly matched. Even when I cheat we end up in a draw. But…”

He strung the word out, gave it the hint of suggestion.

“But I’ve never had someone to back me up against him, either.”

\---

Tamatoa quirked an eye, a slow smirk finding its way onto his face.  “Sounds like he’s _too much_ for you, if you can’t even beat him in a _rigged_ game,” he said, mockery oozing through each word.

He couldn’t resist.  Tamatoa had already decided to go along with this, but he was holding all the cards this time.  And he was going to enjoy the upper-claw while he had it.

\---

As Tamatoa’s words sank in, Maui’s face fell into an unbecoming moue of pursed lips and scrunched nose.

He glared at Tamatoa, annoyed, but let it go after a moment. The crab _was_ , technically, correct.

He tossed his head in a shrug, hair flipping back. “Yes, well, nobody’s perfect.” He put his hands on his hips, trying to reassert some authority, and getting impatient besides. “So. What’s it gonna take?”

\---

Tamatoa’s oily smirk stayed right where it was, amused at Maui’s deflection.  He’d found a soft spot, a little crack in the armor.  He’d remember that.

He brought his uninjured claw up to his chin in a gesture of thoughtfulness, looking up as if in serious contemplation.  “I’m not seeing a lot of incentive here,” he drawled.  “If I help you get rid of him, that’s wonderful for _you_.  But that does little for _my_ problems.”

He paused for a moment, the very image of consideration.  “Although, I do wonder if this _intruding demigod_ had anything to do with the strange behavior of the fish and game recently–vanishing unexpectedly!”  He cut his eyes back to Maui.  “Perhaps if I helped you get rid of him, those odd periods of scarcity might _stop_.”

\---

So Tamatoa hadn’t been a fan of Maui’s methods of persuasion? Who would have thought.

But, fine, if food was what the crab prized, so be it. Maui had other ways to convince Tamatoa to do what he wanted, if it ever came to that.

And… it may not. They had nearly fought once. Just the other night. He had seen Tamatoa’s true colors, and the crab had nearly - _nearly -_ crossed the line. It wouldn’t take much to re-escalate to that level of antagonism.

However, there were too many ‘ifs’ going into that train of thought: _If_ Tamatoa helped. _If_ he survived the fight with Tuahangata. _If_ he turned recalcitrant again afterwards.

“Fine,” Maui agreed. “I can’t make any promises about the animals in the forest,” he quirked an eyebrow, knowing _exactly_ what he was saying, “until _after_ Tua is gone. He’s a bleeding heart for them all.” He shrugged again, tilting his head to the side in a dismissive gesture, disdainful of Tuahangata and all of his hangups.

“That said,” Maui continued, “I _can_ make sure your waters are teeming with fish, from now on. So do we have a deal?”

\---

Eyes alight and gleaming, Tamatoa _smiled_ a wide, slow grin that could only belong to a victorious monster.  It was the same sort of grin that curled his lips in the dark hours of the night.

Maui was showing his own true colors now, too.  Just as Tamatoa had suspected, Maui’s _care_ for the humans was barely lip service.  The demigod was selfish, obsessive, and driven by his own desires.  And willing to bargain the humans away tacitly to get what he wanted.

Well, Tamatoa could go along with that.

“Deal.”

\---

Maui _smiled_. It was a satisfied grin and a predatory gleam all at once.

“Great! But first,” his eyes settled lower, and he pointed to Tamatoa’s injured claw. “Let me see that again.”

\---

Tamatoa blinked, smile sliding off his face.  He pulled his claw in closer.  “Uh, _no_.  Keep your grubby, fleshy fingers away from it.”

He hated having Maui touch him as it was, much less on his _injured claw_.  He might have agreed to this, but he didn’t _trust_ Maui for an instant.

\---

Maui raised his brow again. “Oh, so you wanna fight that guy while you’re injured?” he asked, sarcastically. “No way. Give it here; I’m gonna heal it for you.”

He held out his hand expectantly.

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae twitched.

He had seen Maui heal himself, days back when he had spied upon Maui’s fight with Nākahi, so he knew that the demigod _did_ seem to possess that ability.

But the very _thought_ of willingly letting this creep, this disgusting semigod lay his hands on him made Tamatoa inwardly cringe and sent a crawling feeling under his exoskeleton.  He _hated_ it.  He didn’t _want_ it.  He wanted to tell Maui exactly where he could stick his offer.

But it was a nasty wound on his claw.  The spear had been run clear through to the other side.  He’d cleaned it up as best he could, but holes in his exoskeleton could mean nasty infections or worse–especially exposed to seawater while fishing.  And while the wound would seal itself somewhat on its own, the holes wouldn’t go away until his next molt, which really wasn’t on the agenda for at least several decades.

And it _hurt_.  The ache made his whole claw feel tender and sore.

But he didn’t _trust_ Maui.  He _hated_ every time the demigod touched him.

The two conflicting thoughts warred with each other and Tamatoa was silent for a long, long moment while this internal battle took place.

In the end, however, he was a pragmatic monster.  And going off to fight a demigod with one claw impaired was a terrible idea.  Particularly when one didn’t trust their _associate_ in the fight either. 

He grit his teeth, jaw clenched.  Inwardly, he was squirming.

“Don’t you dare try anything funny,” he warned, his good claw opening to back up his words.

Slowly and with painfully obvious reluctance, Tamatoa tentatively extended his hurt claw.

\---

“Pff,” Maui dismissed Tamatoa’s concerns with a huff, then stepped up to once again inspect the injury. 

The crab had done a surprisingly good job of packing the wound with clean leaves, and, were he a mortal human, Maui would have told him to sit out the fight and heal. But crabs didn’t heal like humans did, and Maui needed Tamatoa by his side if either of them wanted Tuahangata gone. 

“It looks good from the outside, but I need to get a look inside, make sure nothing got stuck.” He glanced up at Tamatoa, quickly. “Trust me, you don’t want anything stuck inside you after this.”

But he didn’t wait for permission; instead, he set his hook on the ground by his feet, then braced one hand against the claw, near the injury. With the other, he gently plucked out the wad of leaves. When that side was clear, he stepped around and unpacked the other side.

Maui bent low to squint into the open wound. The bleeding had stopped, and he could see no dirt nor splinters inside. He kept his touch gentle, not wanting to startle Tamatoa into backing out of this.

“Okay,” he finally spoke, straightening and looking back up to meet Tamatoa’s eyes. “It’s gonna be fairly straightforward. Shouldn’t hurt, but it might ache. I need… hmm.” He glanced around, but the only suitable thing he could see were the scant few leaves. Not nearly enough; he frowned.

He was going to have to explain how this worked. Tamatoa already didn’t trust him; asking him to roll with what Maui had to do wasn’t gonna’ fly. He didn’t exactly want Tamatoa to know this secret, because the crab had proven himself far too clever and Maui suspected he’d find a way to use it against him.

But, needs must. And he needed Tamatoa in top fighting form.

“All right. So, the way this works is all about changing one thing into another. Right now, you have a hole in your claw that’s filled with air, but air is _really_ hard to change. So I need to fill it up with something else that I _can_ change. And I’m gonna need more leaves for that.

“Now, I know this next part is gonna sound weird, but hear me out: You gotta’ put these in your mouth, get them good and wet. When I bring back more, same with those. The leaves need to have a good template of _you,_ and, unless you wanna’ bleed again, spit is the best way to do it.”

\---

Tamatoa had been watching the entire proceedings with a sharp eye, alert for any signs of trickery or hurt or other nefarious things.  His teeth were clenched, too, as he willed himself not to pull away from the demigod’s hated touch.  And that took a fair amount of effort.

But Maui hadn’t shown any signs of ill-intentions.  Not _yet_ anyway.  So, Tamatoa continued to wait and watch and listen.

He listened _closely,_ especially while Maui was explaining how his powers worked.  It made _sense_.  Maui was a shapeshifter, but apparently it wasn’t just about changing _his_ shape.  It was about changing _anything._ What _else_ could Maui change?  What were his limitations?  Tamatoa’s mind whirled at the possibilities.

His gaze flicked surreptitiously to the hook on the ground.  He still wasn’t sure if the hook was the source of the demigod’s power or just the focal instrument.  Maybe this would give him more of a clue.

At Maui’s instructions, he quirked an eye.  A _template?_   Is that how–?

A thought struck him and he quickly buried it for later, lest it show up on his face.

Instead, he quickly agreed to cover any trace of other expressions.  “Right.  Spit.  Got it.”

It sounded a little weird, sure.  But Tamatoa had put worse things in his mouth.  And, besides, he was curious to see if he could get Maui to divulge anything more about his powers.  Best to be agreeable in that case.

\---

Tamatoa took Maui’s instructions with surprising grace, and Maui was quick about finding plenty more leaves and rinsing them in the river.

Back inside, he took the spit-soaked ball of leaves Tamatoa handed him (he didn’t flinch, he’d been covered in worse before) and traded off the rest.

“Right, so,” he began, “this part _is_ probably gonna hurt, actually. I’ll make it quick.”

Gently, carefully, but efficiently too, Maui began to work the saliva-coated leaves down into the wound in Tamatoa’s claw. He rolled them first, then pushed them down inside. He kept his own fingers out, but even so… this part couldn’t be fun for the crab.

Could he have made this a worse experience? Absolutely. But that would have been less than conducive towards getting Tamatoa’s cooperation.

\---

That was _really unpleasant_.

Tamatoa hadn’t realized Maui meant to shove leaves _all the way through_ the puncture until he’d seen the volume of leaves the demigod had retrieved.  But by then he couldn’t really back out.

He resisted the urge to squeeze his eyes shut as Maui started pushing leaves into the wound, knowing he needed to keep an eye on the untrustworthy demigod the whole time.  It _hurt_ , though.  In a way, it was worse than the original wound–the spear had gone through so fast, but _this_ was a slow, creeping discomfort as Maui shoved bundles of leaves into his already sore flesh.  He clenched his jaw against the pain, though, refusing to make any sound or show any sign of weakness in front of his enemy.

That said, he couldn’t quite prevent his free claw from opening and closing restlessly beside him.

He _wanted_ to ask questions, to dig more information out of Maui.  But that was going to have to wait until after this part was over.

\---

“And there we have it!” Maui announced, when he could pack no more leaves into the wound. “Now’s the fun part.” He glanced up at Tamatoa and winked.

With slow, deliberate movements - don’t spook the crab _now_ \- Maui picked up his hook with one hand and placed the flat of it against one side of Tamatoa’s injury, pressed against both leaves and carapace. Then he leaned around so that he could reach the other side at the same time - it was an awkward position and his balance was far from great, hopefully Tamatoa didn’t attack him _now_ \- holding one last leaf between his fingers and pressing his palm against the wound.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath in then out, and _concentrated_.

Blue light flared brightly from his hook, so bright he could see it through his eyelids. The light traced up the hook onto _him_ , up one arm and down the other, then circling within the leaf he held, until finally it began to pool between his hand and Tamatoa’s claw.

Come on, come on, he thought. Make the connection, then make the _change.  
_

Healing was not easy magic, even on himself. Healing humans was considerably harder, even as they mirrored him in many ways. But a _crab_ , a giant monster crab…

…This was something else. A bead of sweat began to form on his forehead.

But finally, finally… the light traced down into Tamatoa’s injury. And slowly, though it was not a process one could really see happening… the leaves turned into muscle and exoskeleton, stitching into the flesh around it. Tamatoa’s stab wound was healing.

It took a few long minutes, but the wound healed from the center outward, and afterwards the exoskeleton on both sides began to knit back together. There would be a scar… but the wound was closed and healed.

Maui stepped back with a sigh of relief, then let himself sit down with what coordination he had left to him. He swung his hook, the glow now gone from it, across his knees.

“So, how’s it feel?”  he asked. 

\---

It felt _weird_ , that’s how.  It was an odd sensation, feeling his flesh knit back together so quickly.  And even _odder_ for his exoskeleton to repair itself, something it was never designed to do in this manner.  It was an experience _entirely_ different from molting.  So strange, so bizarre.

Tentatively, Tamatoa flexed his now-healed claw, testing it out.  There was a mild soreness deep within it, but that was nothing.  It was barely more than a slight muscle strain that would go away within a day.  A smile crept onto his face.

Then he looked down at Maui, antennae flitting in the air, and the smile took on a somewhat different character.

He could smell the sweat on Maui and took note when the demigod sat down with a bit of a wobble.  _This_ was not an act of feigned weariness.  Not this time.

His claw opened and closed again, this time with a different intention buried within the movement.

It was so _tempting_.  Tamatoa wanted _badly_ to take advantage of the demigod’s momentary weakness and _strike_.  He wasn’t a crab given towards holding back, either.

But he stayed his claw, albeit reluctantly.  Maui might have been a little strained now, but Tamatoa didn’t think it would last.  Tamatoa was going to need some sort of _big_ advantage if he wanted to take on Maui.

And from what he’d just seen, he was now convinced that the power Maui possessed likely came from the _hook_ , or at least most of it did.  A fight would go far better if he could relieve him of it first.

Then, of course, there was the _other_ demigod.  He still needed to get rid of _him_ , too.

So, Tamatoa’s smile slid back to something less predatory, though the gleam didn’t leave his eyes.

“It feels _just fine_.”

\---

It did not escape Maui’s notice when Tamatoa’s expression sharpened, just the tiniest bit. He wasn’t worried, but he _was_ wary. A change of heart now would mean the end of an opportunity, and Maui would’ve hated to lose that chance.

But Tamatoa didn’t make a move; simply answered Maui’s question with, perhaps, a bit too much enthusiasm.

_Good.  
_

“What about that gash on your neck?” Maui asked next, still sitting. “No leaves, I promise.” It didn’t look like a bad wound, but he wasn’t a monster - he’d let Tamatoa make that call.

And whether the crab needed it or not, Maui was prepared to do it. Anything that would distract Tamatoa was a liability. When they went up against Tuahangata, they would be in for the fight of their lives.

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes flicked to the cut, then back to Maui.  He tilted his shell in a shrug.  “It’s just a scratch,” he said, dismissing it.

After all, it _was_ just a scratch.  It would heal fine on its own and Tamatoa _really_ didn’t want to be _beholden_ to Maui after all this.  Nor did he want to show any weakness.

Then he stood, getting his legs under him and rising up from the ground.  He looked down upon Maui, now from even greater height.

“I’m going to get breakfast,” he announced.  “You tell me what you’ve got in mind on the way.”

He was _hungry_ , after all.  He hadn’t gone out last night at all, neither to hunt nor fish.  And planning always went better when one was well fed.

Not waiting for Maui to get up, he stepped _over_ him and headed out of the cave.

\---

Well… Tamatoa certainly seemed to be in a better mood _now._ Maui set his jaw to keep from saying - or doing - anything as the gigantic crab stepped over him and made for the cave’s entrance. The demigod stood to follow, wondering if he had perhaps given too much of himself and his powers away. But he was going to need the monster’s help to defeat Tuahangata, and that was that; Maui could put up with a lot from Tamatoa now if it meant a successful outcome later.

But their late-night meeting in the woods, and now this…. Was Tamatoa going to make a habit of this attitude? Was he going to grow increasingly aggressive? Not that Maui wouldn’t fight that fight, but it would _complicate_ things later, and this island was already complicated enough.

Maui shook those thoughts from his head as he emerged into daylight. Tamatoa was already outside the cave and following the river down to the beach. He quickened his pace to keep up.

“What I have in mind is simple,” he said. “Tuahangata loves humans and hates monsters. If he’s not actively watching over the former he’ll hunt down the latter. So all we have to do - I’ll get him out of the village, and you lead him into a trap. Then we work together to take him down.

“The thing is though,” and he hesitated, but it had to be said. “Like I said back in the cave, I _can’t_ defeat him on my own. I’ve tried.” Maui’s voice had gone flat, distaste from those memories shining through in his words. “So it’s going to take more from you than just playing bait, or holding him down, or whatever. We’re going to need to make a concentrated, coordinated effort.”

He knew Tamatoa didn’t like _him._ He’d been playing along with Maui’s game, and that suited Maui just fine, but there was no genuine affection between them. Tuahangata being here complicated things, a _lot,_ and it was about to stress-test just how far Tamatoa would go to keep up the charade. Maui had to be ready for anything, including a backstabbing crab.

…Despite himself, Maui was looking forward to that possibility.

\---

Tamatoa was feeling pretty confident, feeling pretty good about himself. He had squeezed a rather surprising agreement out of this so far. Maui must _really_ want this guy dead. Tamatoa had the upper-claw here, since clearly Maui couldn’t do it on his own, and he was planning on taking every advantage. He’d been pushed around by this damned demigod for weeks and weeks and he was going to enjoy having one up on him now.

He cast a sly glance back at Maui as he caught up. “Well, _I_ have no trouble coordinating. But do _you?_ ” He looked Maui up and down with a smirk. “You look like a solo artist to me.” It was true, too. Tamatoa had plenty of experience hunting as a pair. But he didn’t think Maui was the type to work _with_ anyone.

Without waiting for Maui to answer, he pushed on ahead with a suggestion as the beach came into view ahead. “We should do this at night. There are _plenty_ of ways to lure him out at night.” His lips twisted in a smile that was all teeth and bad intentions and unspoken things.

\---

The insult of Tamatoa’s remarks about cooperation wasn’t lost on Maui, but he let it slide. For now, at least. He smirked, and answered, “Hey, I haven’t always been like this, out on my own. I can be a team player when I need to be.”

When it got him what he wanted.

He would have to think further on the implications of what Tamatoa had said, though. If he had _no trouble coordinating_ … that sounded an awful lot like experience. _Recent_ experience?

But, he’d think on that later. For now, plotting.

“I agree, though, night would be best.” He looked up at Tamatoa, still ahead of him, a single eyebrow raised. “You sure you have a way to get him there?”

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes tilted, the dark gleam in them a match for the unwholesome sentiment conveyed by his smile.

“Oh,” he said airily, tongue running over his teeth.  “I have a few ideas.”  Then he chuckled, a low rumble of a laugh that bespoke unpleasant things.  “You just make sure he goes into the forest, I’ll make sure he follows me.”

He stepped onto the beach, but paused before entering the water.

“You should wait for him up in the caves where the mantis shrimp lived,” he advised, taking the initiative.  “I’ll lead him there.”

There were plenty of _lovely_ places in Tamatoa’s primary territory where they could stage an ambush, but he had _no_ intention of showing those places to Maui.  After all, he might need them later.

\---

Maui gave Tamatoa an appraising look at that. Though it remained unspoken, it was fairly obvious the _nature_ of the bait Tamatoa had planned; but then, it would work perfectly too. Tuahangata was such a bleeding heart for humans.

“Fine,” he agreed, and settled down into the sand as Tamatoa waded into the water. He waited a moment to be sure Tamatoa wasn’t watching him, then quickly started a fire - at least one secret still intact.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” he called out, “If you catch me a fish I’ll share the fire.”

\---

Tamatoa acknowledged him with a flick of his antennae, falling silent as he entered the warm water.  Fishing took _quiet_ and _concentration_.  He put all his other thoughts aside and focused on his task, dangling his antennae to tempt and lure the fishes within reach.

Within no time at all, enormous, silvery trevally were circling in.  They cut through the crystal clear water with fast, powerful strokes of their tails, all the while their huge eyes scanned the surface for potential prey.  Voracious predators in their own right, the fish were severely outmatched here, though, and the hunters became the hunted.

Tamatoa hauled them up, one after another, with fast snaps of his pincers.  He gathered quite a few this time, landing several fifty pounders in a row and even some nearly double that.  He was _hungry_ , after all.  This wasn’t just a _snack_ ; he was making up for a missed night of hunting.

By the time he waded out of the water, he had quite the catch.  He even caught a couple smaller, colorful parrotfish for Maui–a reasonable trade in exchange for use of the fire now crackling on the beach.

He dropped them down onto the sand, save one smaller trevally that he started munching on right away–a holdover until Maui could get the rest cooking.

Settling on the sand, he took another bite of his fish.  “What’s your plan for when I lure him up there?” he asked between bites.

\---

Maui made no remark about the rather large pile of fish - considerably larger than the last time he’d watched Tamatoa - and instead gamely set several trevally and both parrotfish up on good, thick skewers for roasting. They would take a while, big as they were, but it didn’t seem Tamatoa minded raw fish all that much.

“Pretty simple,” he answered. “Surprise attack. Get the first blow in. Then _keep_ attacking until it’s done.”

Of course, it would be anything _but_ simple. Tuahangata was a skilled fighter and had the endurance of any demigod; this fight was going to be _hard.  
_

“How does tonight work for you? The longer he’s here, the more time he spends in the village, the stronger he’ll be. Sooner will be better.”

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae drifted forward slightly, taking in the scent of the fish as they started to cook.  It smelled so _good._   He had to admit that he was going to miss that once he somehow managed to get rid of Maui.

But that was for later.

“Tonight is good,” he agreed, munching on the significantly less appetizing raw fish.  “I’ll need some time to… get things ready… after sunset.”  He tilted an eye, looking up at the sky.  “Maybe when the moon is _there–_ ” A claw gestured, aiming low in the eastern sky. “–send him out into the forest.”

Then something else filtered through and his eyes turned back down to Maui, curious.  “What do you mean, he’ll get stronger the more time he spends in the village?”

\---

Maui noted the direction in which Tamatoa was pointing and weighed the time that gave him - not that he would need much.

But at Tamatoa’s question, he sunk into himself, slouching and annoyed. It wasn’t so much that this was information he didn’t want Tamatoa to have, as that Maui didn’t like talking about it.

“He’s got this thing about humans, but it’s more than just that he loves them. He can _sense_ them, in a way that goes beyond sight or hearing or smell.” Maui crossed his arms, annoyed at the very idea. “And the more time he spends with them the more they _love_ and _worship_ him, and he draws strength from that. And I meant that literally: it fuels his muscles. I almost _wish_ it were some romantic nonsense, but it’s very, very real.” He uncrossed his arms and reached out to rotate the roasting sticks.

“He gets faster, can do more of his air tricks. Once we were in a village for a whole month and he beat me at arm wrestling.”

Not that Maui was _bitter_ about that or anything.

“So the longer he’s _here?_ Yeah, we’d be better off finding a new island. Try again next time he finds me.”

\---

Tamatoa stopped munching his fish, taking in all of what Maui said.  My, my, the demigod sounded _very_ sour about his rival.  Tamatoa wanted to press at that, prod at the sore spot and widen the crack in Maui’s armor.

Of course, there were also the bigger implications to consider, too.  From Maui’s manner, it didn’t sound like his powers came from the same source as Tuahangata’s.  Tamatoa already suspected that the _hook_ was the source of at least some of Maui’s magic, but perhaps he could prize a little more out of him about it.

He smiled, oily and mocking all at once.  “What?  The love of humans doesn’t _do it_ for you, Maui man?” he asked, needling at that little crack.  “Maybe they just love him more then, if he’s so much _stronger_ than you.”

\---

Maui’s temper flared at the needling, old wounds being poked at again, and an angry flame lit deep within his eyes.

He took a slow, calming breath. 

Maui smiled, staring into the fire, focusing not on what Tamatoa had said - the crab was still _fishing_ \- and instead on what was to come. Soon.

He brought his hands together in front of him and stretched, his knuckles cracking at the apex.

“Nah,” he confirmed. “Humans didn’t work out for me. What _does_ ‘do it’ for me…” He trailed off, then looked up at Tamatoa. He met the monster’s eyes and let all of his pent-up ferocity shine through.

“…is something else _entirely.”  
_

\---

The look in Maui’s eyes would have unsettled him, but Tamatoa was past being intimidated by this _semigod_ right now.  Cocky and confident now that Maui was coming to _him_ for help, he wasn’t about to let Maui push him around anymore.  He’d had _enough.  
_

So he met Maui’s eyes in kind, his own gleaming darkly with all the feral energy of a centuries-old monster crab.

“Oh yeah?” he shot back brazenly, skipping subterfuge and going right for the throat.  “And what exactly is _that_?”

\---

Maui snorted, despite knowing it would completely ruin the moment. Oh, Tamatoa would like to know that, would he? Too bad.

“Anyway,” he deflected, and looked back to the fire to rotate the fish again. The smaller parrotfish were almost ready. “You probably got a taste of it when Tua found you earlier: he’s a jumper. Don’t let him get onto your back, especially not with his spear.” His eyes slid sideways to glance at Tamatoa again. “I get the feeling he’s gonna’ be good and angry with you, too. You’re gonna have to move _fast_ to lead him all the way to those caves without him catching up to you.”

Maui was putting a lot of unearned trust into Tamatoa, he knew. And success against Tuahangata was not going to improve that. Nonetheless, he wanted Tamatoa to be successful against the other demigod; getting rid of Tua might actually be _possible_ this way, and, in the end, Tamatoa was _his_ to kill. Someday, when everything was over.

After all, that’s what best friends are for.

\---

Tamatoa smirked at the inelegant deflection. One way or the other, he was going to find out. He was close to the truth already, he was certain. It was just a matter of confirming it and making sure there were no additional complications to consider. But if Maui wanted to play coy for now, so be it. There were nearer plans to consider, after all.

“I can keep ahead of him,” Tamatoa assured, giving his antennae a cocksure flick. What he had in mind should drive Tuahangata into an absolute _frenzy_ , but Tamatoa also knew these forests well and was confident he could outrun the other demigod through them. “You just be ready the moment he shows up. He should be _plenty_ distracted.” A hint of a nasty smile crossed his face before vanishing again.

“Now, is there anything _else_ I should know?” Tamatoa asked, assessing Maui with a critical eye.

Maui was clearly not to be trusted and was obviously holding back information about himself. It was fair to assume he’d hold back about Tuahangata as well, even if he did want the rival demigod dead. Tamatoa would gather what information he could, but was preparing himself to deal with the rest by the strength of his wits alone.

\---

Maui shrugged, reaching out for a roasted parrotfish. “Nope. You’ve got all the pertinent details. Just stick to the plan.” Not that it was much of a plan, but Tua had a way of slipping out of those. Winging it had always worked better for Maui, anyway.

He took a bite of his fish, then relaxed back into the sand - making himself at home. The conversation was over, but he wasn’t planning on going anywhere just yet.

\---

Tamatoa eyed Maui distastefully as he settled on _his beach_ like he owned the place.  He really, really wanted this odious demigod off his beach, off his island, and out of his life.

He kept his irritation in check for the moment, however.  Instead, he reached for the roasted trevally, figuring it must be close enough to done by now.  It smelled wonderful, after all.  Either way, he was hungry.  And he was going to need food and rest before going up against an adversary like this.

So, he ate his fish (and several after it) in silence, all the while keeping a steady eye on the aggravating demigod making himself comfortable on the beach.

As the fish pile grew smaller and the fire grew lower, so too did Tamatoa’s patience grow thinner.  Finally, he took one last bite of fish and stood up, shaking the sand off himself.

He looked down at Maui from his greater height.  “You should go now,” he said bluntly, not bothering with subtle at this point.  “If he’s as tough as you say, better get rest between now and then.”

Tamatoa made no move to leave just yet.  He was going to make sure Maui was good and _gone_ before he retired to a safe place to sleep.  He was running out of undiscovered hideaways and he wasn’t about to let Maui follow him back to the remaining few.

\---

Maui, still idly chewing on a fishbone, tilted his head back to watch as Tamatoa stood. He was unsurprised at the crab’s words; rather, that he had taken so long to say them.

“Sure, sure,” he agreed, and stood slowly, stretching as he went. “I’ll see you tonight.” Maui spoke nonchalantly, as though they were simply old friends meeting later and not about to stage an ambush.

He picked up his hook and swiftly, silently transformed into his hawk shape, taking off briskly and heading straight for the village.

He’d sleep, then eat, then take a walk, all the while avoiding Tuahangata. And when he returned from that walk, this new game would begin.

Maui landed in front of the village, the sunlight glimmering on the ocean at his back. A thin smile stretched his lips.

_Soon_.

\---

The sun was just slipping below the horizon when Tamatoa awoke, rested and refreshed, in one of the few caverns whose location still remained a secret.  He stretched, flexing his legs lazily.  Then he remembered what awaited him in these evening hours and a wicked smile grew on this face.

He wasted no time, rising gracefully from the sandy patch where he had slept to get started.  Now was the time to _play_.  This would be a hunt far removed from his usual.  Typically, his hunts were clean and efficient--leaving no trace that would rouse suspicion or lead the villagers towards his territory.  Tonight, things would be different.

As the sky slipped into twilight, he dampened his own lights and set off into the forest at a fast pace, antennae already out and searching for the bait he needed.  He would have to be quick for this part, quick and silent and undetected.  There was no time to soak in the thrill of the chase.  This was business.

It didn’t take long to find what he was looking for.  Fast, silent, and deadly, he swept upon the first human before it even knew what was happening.  It had little time to even draw a breath, much less scream, before it was swiftly dispatched.  One sharp squeeze around its midsection snapped its spine, a fast, bloodless kill.  He tossed it onto his shell, then hurried on to the next.  He had no time to slow down now, not if he wanted to get things properly arranged before Maui set Tuahangata loose.

A second human was dispatched in much the same way, with systematic, brutal lethality.  It was carried off just as the other was to the area where Tamatoa had decided to stage his bloody lure.  His chosen theater was a wide clearing near a game trail, where moonlight would soon flood the entire area, illuminating everything with stark, harsh light.  _Appearance_ was everything tonight.  It was perfect.

Now, to make a scene.

Getting to work, he took the collected baits from his shell and began to utterly _shred_ them.  With twisting pulls of his claw, he tore ragged chunks of meat free.  These he spread all across the clearing, scattering them widely and messily.  Some entrails found their way into a tree; an arm was planted in a fern like a strange, warped frond; one of the heads was staring blankly up from the middle of the trail leading up to the clearing.  Blood and gore were smeared liberally across the foliage and ground, leaving dark, gruesome stains behind.

The metallic tang of that blood filled Tamatoa’s senses as he worked and he resisted the overwhelming temptation to indulge in a little snack.  This was messy and _wasteful_ and he hated to leave good meat just _laying around_ , but there was a _purpose_ behind this and he _needed_ the dramatic visuals this time.  So, as much as it went against his nature to leave food to waste, he kept rigidly to his plan.

Besides, he’d come back later and clean up what the scavengers didn’t carry off.

When it was done, he stepped back to survey his work.  It was blatant, it was _atrocious_ , and it was entirely outside his usual modus operandi.  But it ought to do the trick.

Satisfied, he looked up to check the position of the moon.  It was getting close to time.  Just one more piece remaining.  Tamatoa set off into the forest, looking for that last bit of bait.

He didn’t have to go far to find it.  He barely had to travel a few minutes along the game trail before he picked up another’s scent.  As before, he stalked this human with cold, capable prowess.  This one, however, he took alive, snatching it from the ground with a delicate, precise snap of his pincer.  Just as he captured it, he let go of his bioluminescence and split the night with his brilliant colors--flashing gleaming teeth in the face of his squishy little bait.

The human _screamed_.

And screamed and screamed and _screamed_.

A grin quirked Tamatoa’s lips.  He could not have possibly found a better one for his purposes.  Its terrified shrieks were piercingly loud, echoing off the trees and carrying through the night in a chilling wail--a siren song to would-be heroes.

Still carefully holding the howling human and prodding viciously at it whenever it showed signs of quieting down, he hurried back to the clearing, decorated in its macabre pageantry.  Tamatoa himself was encrusted with blood, showing up starkly against his glowing bioluminescence as thick, dark streaks.  He smeared a wide swath of it across his face to complete the lurid image, allowing himself a small taste in the process.  The tangy flavor sharpened his attention and he smiled a terrible smile.

The stage was set.  Now all there was left to do was wait for the main act to arrive.

\---

Maui awoke in the the late afternoon. He stretched in his hammock, cracking his neck, before swinging out and wandering off in search of food.

Maui sat eating dinner with some villagers, laughing at jokes and trading stories. He ignored Tuahangata as the other demigod ate as well, giving no hint as to his plans for the evening.

Maui went for a walk as the sun began to set. He wanted to come back in a hurry, but not until the timing was right. 

Several mortals, all of them travelers, were making their way out as well; fervently hopeful, as always, to elude the monsters and make it to whatever it was they were looking for.

The poor fools.

Still, he made it a point to be noticed leaving with a few, and shortly thereafter he broke away. He stayed close to the village, not wanting to interfere with Tamatoa’s lure; nonetheless he prepared for his own performance. Dirt on his skin, some foliage in his hair, and a few careful slices into his arms and chest from his own hook, his own blood dripping down to complete the effect.

Maui glanced at the sky; it was almost time.

He tossed his hook aside. Then, in a rush, he burst back into the village. “Tua! _Tuahangata_! Get over here, I need your help!”

\---

The warm, quiet coziness of the village was abruptly broken by frenzied shouting at the edge of the forest.

Tuahangata was immediately on alert, and he ran, weaving through the crowds of curious humans, until he found Maui. Maui, who knelt, bleeding, his legendary fishhook missing, on the ground. 

“What happened?” Tuahangata asked, stunned. He stepped closer, taking in Maui’s roughened state.

Maui looked up at his voice, and rage suffused his expression. “They _ambushed_ us!” he growled. “We were walking and several monsters attacked us, the bird _picked me up and flew off_ and I don’t know where the _humans_ are.” He grit his teeth and looked down, frustrated.

Alarm thrilled through his veins, but before Tuahangata could question Maui, a series of screams echoed out from the forest.

His heart pounding in his chest, he looked out at the forest. Maui, still on the ground in front of him, began pulling himself back to his feet.

“Go, _go!”_ Maui urged, wincing as he stood. “Go find them! I’ll be right behind you!”

Maui was still talking, but Tuahangata was done listening. His own spear in hand, he stepped past Maui and ran like the _wind.  
_

The screams were unceasing, full of terror and pain. He didn’t need them to find the poor soul, but they kept him running at top speed. In no time he found a trail that was pointing right towards them, and Tuahangata’s feet pounded along the dirt path like thunder rolling over the sea.

Finally, there! Ahead, the screams were louder and there seemed an unearthly glow emanating from behind several trees. And on the path, just ahead of him-

-A severed head. Staring blankly up to the stars.

Tuahangata’s blood _boiled_. To see a human so carelessly, thoughtlessly, _savagely_ slaughtered! And a monster ahead, in a clearing, holding yet another-

With calm belying his rage, Tuahangata stepped into the clearing. His eyes were tight on the monster before him until… until he saw the pure _carnage_ all around. This hadn’t been a slaughter, this had been a _massacre.  
_

His vision went red. He stood, immobile, hatred holding him still as he gazed upon the creature that had wrought so much _destruction.  
_

That thing was going to _pay._

 ---

Tamatoa was waiting, tense and ready for this moment to arrive.  Even over the shrieking cries of his bait, he heard the sound of rapid footfalls, crashing through the forest towards him.  Any moment now… any moment…

The footfalls slowed.

_There!  
_

Tuahangata appeared on the edge of the clearing, already looking enraged beyond words.  Well, that wasn’t _quite enough_ as far as Tamatoa was concerned.  No, he wanted to push just a _bit_ further.

His bioluminescent markings blazed brighter and his eyes, flashing with brazen color, looked straight into Tuahangata–pinning the demigod with his gaze.

He brought the wailing, struggling human up–never breaking eye-contact with Tuahangata–and took an _enormous_ bite from its side.  The human shrieked, a shrill and fatal scream, as he sank his teeth into it, crunching through bone and rending flesh.  When he pulled away, it was _violently_ _messy_ , gore and viscera spilling as he savagely tore half the human’s torso apart.  He smiled, a bloody, glowing leer, and gulped his mouthful down.

Then he tossed the remains, the terminal wail fading out as it slowly expired, aside like trash in a gesture carefully choreographed to appear casual, even as every muscle tensed to run.

“Remember me?” he sneered down at the demigod, voice full of mockery and scorn and challenge.

 ---

The sheer brutality with which the monster took that last, fatal bite…. Tuahangata couldn’t process it. There was only the rage within him, and the creature that he had to kill before him.

He gripped his weapon and launched himself across the clearing, faster than than he’d ever run before, a harsh scream of primal wrath bellowing out, his spear poised and ready to impale-

\---

Maui shrugged off the mortals attempting to help him, ignoring their questions and instead _firmly_ suggesting they stay within the village tonight.

Maui was going hunting.

He swiftly retrieved his hook, then set to healing the deepest gashes. He healed fast on his own, but he wanted to be in perfect fighting form by the time Tamatoa led Tuahangata into their ambush.

He would need every advantage.

Maui then transformed and took flight, arrowing straight to the hills of the mantis shrimp he’d already dispatched. That battle had been far too easy; this one, however, promised excitement and a certain degree of danger.

Maui was looking forward to it.

He settled upon the highest rise in the area, remaining in his hawk form for now. He looked out across the island, watching for the chase.

\---

Tamatoa was ready for the charge, poised to run.  He sprang into motion at the first hint of movement from Tuahangata.  Kicking up a spray of dirt and leaves, he spun and leapt away–bolting into the forest, laughing gleefully as he ran.

He knew this forest like the back of his claw and had already chosen his route up to the late mantis shrimp’s caverns.  It should be easy; it should be a walk in the woods.

He glanced behind him, turning a single eye to check on the demigod and was startled to see how _fast_ Tuahangata was pelting after him.  The enraged hero was gaining ground on him quickly, moving lightning fast through the widely spaced trees.  Moonlight glinted off the deceptively dull stone tip of his spear, ever brighter as he got closer.

Alarmed, Tamatoa pushed himself harder.  Okay, maybe this _wasn’t_ going to be an easy walk in the woods.  He dug in with his claws with each stride, propelling himself forward and giving himself an extra boost of speed as he careened through the darkened trees.  His flaring bioluminescence made him an eerie streak of brilliant light flashing through the forest as he ran–a beacon, a shining lure, for Tuahangata to follow.

The terrain grew steeper as they tore madly through the forest.  The hills were nearing, the forest floor dropping away behind them.  And, slowly but surely, the demigod _kept gaining_ on Tamatoa.  Another glance behind revealed the absolute _fury_ on Tuahangata’s face.  Oh yeah, Tamatoa had done his job _well_.  The demigod was seething, insensible with rage.

Tamatoa flashed him a cheeky, wicked smile–glowing lips streaked with blood.

There was an answering bellow of pure ire and Tamatoa worked up a laugh, a mocking taunt to distract Tuahangata further as they approached the trap.

Then he looked ahead, the caverns were coming into view–a darkened honeycomb of shadowy openings in the hillside, just on the other side of one last stand of trees.  _Almost there.  
_

Tuahangata was closing fast, though, and _nearly_ close enough to reach him with that damned spear.  This was going to be _close_.  Tamatoa hoped Maui was ready, because if he wasn’t where he said he’d be, Tamatoa’s night was going to end very, _very_ badly.

Thundering ahead at full speed with every limb straining to keep up the brutal pace, Tamatoa crashed through the last cluster of trees and burst into the open area in front of the caverns.  He was a monstrous sight--bioluminescence blazing, covered in blood, and laughing wildly.

Tuahangata was hard on his heels, spear raised and ready to throw.

 ---

Maui could hear the chase almost before he saw it, Tuahangata’s enraged bellowing was so loud. But, there, a bright streak of glowing blue moving at a _very_ fast clip through the forest, heading right this way. That would be his cue.

He took to the air again and brought himself in line with the chase, right as Tamatoa burst through the trees and into the open space before the caves. Maui swooped low, right behind Tuahangata, and shifted quickly to drop to the ground.

Tuahangata’s arm was pulled back to launch his spear; on the way down, Maui grabbed that arm and pulled it to the ground with him, flipping Tuahangata backwards and into a hard landing on his back. Maui took advantage of the other demigod’s surprise and slammed a fist into his cheek, but a moment after that he was kicked away.

Tuahangata flipped himself back upright and spun to face Maui, spear at the ready, eyes wide but still angry.

“ _Maui?!_ ” he spat. Maui rose to his feet, slowly, letting Tua make the connection. He looked from Maui to Tamatoa, then when he looked back his expression was grave.

“So this is how it is, is it?” the demigod asked. “Colluding with monsters, finding loopholes, allowing humans to come to harm. You’ve forgotten - no, _turned your back_ on - _everything_ that you’re supposed to be. I’d tell you to be ashamed of yourself, but you are not enough of a _real_ _demigod_ even for _that.”_ He spat at Maui’s feet, then stood, ready.

Maui let the words float past him - merely sounds in the air. He glanced past Tuahangata to Tamatoa, making sure the monster was ready. Looked like it.

“Shut up already,” Maui growled at Tuahangata. Then he swung his hook, and the fight began.

\---

Tamatoa skidded to a halt as Maui–thankfully not double-crossing him and leaving him to Tuahangata’s fatal mercy–attacked the other demigod.  They traded some banter, giving Tamatoa barely a moment to turn and face them before the fight was on.

With an animalistic snarl, Tamatoa leapt into the fray, claws snapping.  He was no stranger to battle.  His territory, one of the most desirable on the island, was hard won and he had fought tooth and nail to take it off the monster who had previously inhabited it.  Tamatoa was a crab in his prime, young enough to be filled with nearly endless vigor and ferocity, but old enough to have the experience necessary to shape that energy into brutally efficient takedowns.

And he would need all of that now.  Tuahangata was a devastatingly fierce opponent–fast and agile with the tremendous strength of divinity.  That alone was enough to make him formidable, but on top of that he had the fervid zeal of one on a _righteous crusade_ –a deep seated conviction that he was the _hero_ of this story.  It made him dangerous.

So Tamatoa attacked with everything he had–throwing his own considerable strength and speed behind each driving assault.  It was very different from hunting alongside Aiata, who stayed in constant communication.  Rather than coordinated, strategic attacks, this was instead a fight of mutual brute force and matched strength.  Nevertheless, despite the wildness in his glowing eyes and the lack of harmonious teamwork, Tamatoa’s attacks were still shrewdly targeted.  He struck savagely with his bloody claws, taking every opportunity to slam the demigod into the dirt or against the rocks.  Though they hadn’t discussed it (Maui was _clearly_ not near the tactician that Aiata was.  _She_ always had a plan!), Tamatoa knew instinctively that their only chance was to wear Tuahangata down with relentless, unceasing offensive attacks.

And so he didn’t give any ground, not even an inch.  He never let up on the attack, even as Tuahangata scored blows of his own, gouging deep scratches in Tamatoa’s exoskeleton and painful slashes across the softer skin of his neck and abdomen.  Blue blood began to mix with red, but he paid it no heed–instead focusing on his task with a single-minded determination.

It seemed to be paying off.  He could smell the sweat and exhaustion coming off Tuahangata.  Under the steady onslaught brought by two behemoths, surely he couldn’t hold out forever.

\---

The fight was brutal.

Maui and Tuahangata traded blow after blow, as they had many times before, but _this_ time Maui had an advantage: _he_ only had a single opponent, whereas Tua now fought _two.  
_

Tamatoa was a dervish of lightning-fast snaps and blows, all of them driving against Tuahangata’s flesh and deflecting his spear, keeping the righteous demigod off-balance and ever-weakening. The monster’s eyes glowed with a vehement malevolence, and the night was alight with the shine of his bioluminescence.

Maui was impressed.

He watched Tamatoa’s movements as much as Tuahangata’s. The crab was vicious, proving himself an experienced, seasoned fighter. Maui thought back to the previous night, when he and Tamatoa had faced off in the woods outside the village. This fight had almost been between them - it had almost been Maui to dodge, deflect, and strike back against lethal claws.

Instead Tuahangata had shown up, and set Maui and Tamatoa down a different path entirely.

Tamatoa was _good_ , there was no denying that. However, Tuahangata had thousands of years over the monster, was hundreds of years older than Maui, and was giving _almost_ as good as he got.

But the plan _was_ working. Tuahangata was tiring. He was going to slip up, any time now.

Maui waited patiently for that moment, throwing himself recklessly against the other demigod until that moment came.

\---

Tamatoa continued his relentless assault, hammering Tuahangata with his claws.  It was nearly imperceptible, but the demigod was starting to slow.  His reactions were less keen, his blows less powerful.  Now it was just a matter of catching him in a moment of weakness and taking him down.

The demigod was bleeding and the rich scent of his blood mingled with that of fatigue–an intoxicating brew that only encouraged Tamatoa to drive in with more ferocious attacks.  He pressed every opening and advantage, looking for a weak point.

Aha!  Tuahangata landed from a leap, but was just slightly off balance.  In a momentary instant of disorientation, the demigod was turning towards Maui and had failed to notice how close Tamatoa was.  In that short, brief instant–just a fraction of a second–he was open and exposed, vulnerable.

Tamatoa darted a claw in, a streak of brilliant blue in the dark, and snatched him by the ankle.  Without hesitation, he dragged the unsuspecting demigod backwards and whipped him _up_ in a fast arc.  Then, with the full force of his strength, Tamatoa slammed Tuahangata down into the dirt.  Not once, not twice, but _three_ times in quick succession.

On the third strike, he released the demigod, leaving him prone on the ground, and brought both of his massive claws down upon him together–hammering him down into the dirt with a blow that shook the earth around them.

When he pulled his claws away, Tuahangata lay stunned. 

\---

And there it was. The moment Maui had been waiting for: Tuahangata, stunned and motionless, and at his complete mercy. He glanced at Tamatoa, but the monster stood back now - clearly exhausted and in pain, if in better shape than either demigod.

So Maui stepped up to Tuahangata, hook held at the ready in one hand while the other hung limp, arm broken near the wrist thanks to a hasty block earlier in the fight. He looked down at his stunned and gasping opponent, and raised his hook to the ready. Tuahangata watched him, eyes steady even if the rest of his body was unresponsive. He couldn’t speak, not yet, but Maui had a rather good idea of what he was going to say.

_You’re no demigod. More like a demon.  
_

It was nothing he hadn’t heard before.

“Tuahangata,” he spoke, voice flat and tired but still carrying the hint of disgust and annoyance that Maui had always felt towards the other. “I hope you don’t take this personally, but I really _really_ hate you. _”  
_

Then he swung his hook down. The prone demigod’s head went rolling across the ground.

 ---

Tamatoa watched dispassionately while Maui landed the final blow on the other demigod.  Clearly, and despite Maui’s words, this _was_ personal between the two of them and Tamatoa didn’t begrudge Maui the _coup de grace_.  It roused no such vivid emotion in Tamatoa, though.  He was just glad to have _one_ _fewer_ demigod on his island.

His eyes flitted to Maui, who was battered and dangling what looked to be a broken arm.  For a moment, Tamatoa considered making an earnest go at ridding his island of _both_ demigods.

The idea died quickly, however.  Maui might be weakened, but Tamatoa was exhausted.  With the thrill of battle receding like the tide, the pain of numerous slashing wounds across his head and neck, along with a few on the softer areas between the armored plates of his abdomen, was making itself known.  Blue blood ran sluggishly down his neck, dripping onto the ground.  While Tuahangata hadn’t managed to pierce his exoskeleton this time with that nasty spear, he had still managed to leave some rather stark lines across Tamatoa’s shell.  And that was to say nothing of the bruising blows that the demigod had delivered.  _Everything_ was sore.

No, now was not a good time to make a run at Maui.

Really, all Tamatoa wanted to do now was go wash up, get all the crusted blood--both his and of others--off himself, collect what was left of his kills from earlier, enjoy a light meal, and go back to sleep.  And maybe sleep for a week, possibly two.

“We done here?” he asked Maui bluntly.  He tried, and likely failed, to keep the weary exhaustion out of his voice--not wanting to appear weak before his _real_ enemy.

Regardless, he was hoping to skip any formalities and chit-chat and just get the hell out of here.

 ---

Maui set his hook into the ground and leaned against it, weary. He watched as blood slipped from Tuahangata’s body, pooling around the shoulders and seeping into the dirt.

“Yeah,” he answered Tamatoa. “We’re done.” He looked over his shoulder at the crab, taking in his injuries. “Thanks for your help.”

Maui straightened up and trudged over to the decapitated head, picking it up by the hair. A toss and swinging hit with his hook would send it halfway across the ocean, but that would be too hard with his broken arm. Instead he took a step, dropped the head, and punted it towards the line of sky that was showing the first hints of dawn. It would make it to the water, and the tide should take it from there.

The hard part was done. Finally. Now things could get back to normal.

He glanced down at his wrist; flying would be impossible until it healed, and he was too tired to be using his magic for that right now. That meant he was in for a long walk back to the village, much the same as the last time he’d fought up here. But no matter - he had all the time in the world, now.

Gracelessly, Maui grabbed the body on the ground and hauled it up and over his shoulder, then turned to start making his way back to the village. Tamatoa was still there, silently watching him; so Maui raised his hand, the broken one, in a farewell gesture.

“See ya later, buddy,” he called.

Later, at the village, Maui told the story of their battle. How he and Tuahangata had battled hordes of monsters, back to back, and had defeated many foes. But in the end, they’d been beset by one so fierce, so clever, and Tuahangata had lost all reason at the threats made to the humans. After, Maui had managed a lucky blow, wounding the monster gravely; it fled before he could finish the deed, however, and the demigod was left with the remains of battle and of his friend.

They feasted in Tuahangata’s honor and of his flesh, toasting to his bravery and creating songs of his deeds. The celebration lasted all day and into the next night, and when Maui finally slept, it was with utmost satisfaction.

 ---

Tamatoa watched him go, curious at what exactly Maui was going to do with the headless corpse.  But in the end, he shrugged it off as unimportant.

Sore and weary, he trudged off as soon as Maui was gone.  First stop was the clearing, where he had left all those shredded bits of bait.  Most of it was still there, though smaller forest crabs and other scavengers had hauled some of it off.  He gathered up what was left and made a quick meal of it, not bothering to shake off the clinging little land crabs that refused to give up their prize.  They were just a little extra crunch, after all.

Then he made his way tiredly down to the beach and waded into the warm waters–hissing as the salt stung his wounds.  He sluiced away all the dried blood that had crusted in a mix of coppery blue and rusty red all over him.  It left dark swirls in the clear, moonlit waters as he worked.  Despite the sting of the seawater, it felt good to be clean again.

Clean and fed, all he wanted now was _sleep_.  Too tired to make the hike to one of the still secret lairs in his territory, he instead made for the cliffside one near the beach.  Judging by Maui’s own battered state, Tamatoa didn’t think the demigod would come looking for him again tonight, anyway.  It should be fine for now.

Once there, Tamatoa slumped to the ground in a heavy sprawl.  He was exhausted and in pain, but he had successfully removed _one_ of the invading demigods on his island.  As he laid his head on his claw and began to drift off to sleep, a smile settled on his face.

One down, one to go.

 


	9. Chapter 9

It took three days for Maui’s arm to heal.

In that time, the villagers continued their celebration of Tuahangata, and Maui let them do so in good grace. Indeed, he enjoyed the break of calm and peace and quiet and nobody breathing down his neck.

And after his arm healed, he went back to his usual tasks around the village. They still had to eat, and went hunting and fishing. They built things, moved things, made things, and Maui helped in all of that.

He did not keep any mortals inside the village at night. If they were dead-set on wandering out into the forest, in the dark, after he’d told them that a man-eating monster had escaped? Well, that was on them.

However, by the end of the week after Tuahangata had been forcefully removed from the island, Maui was becoming restless. As difficult as that battle had been, it was not the kind of battle he _needed_. The craving, the _itch_ , was beginning to present itself.

Maui wasn’t of a mind to fight it.

In the early morning of the eighth day after dispatching Tuahangata, Maui went for a swim. In the shape of a shark, he swam all the way out of the protected bay, and west to Tamatoa’s beach.

He had a question for his best friend.

\---

A week had seen Tamatoa on the road to recovery from their fight against Tuahangata. Monster crabs didn’t heal as fast as demigods by any stretch, but the soreness and ache had receded and the wounds on his softer parts were starting to heal nicely. There was nothing to do about the scrapes and gashes across his exoskeleton, though. None had penetrated it and they were merely cosmetic damage, but it was still rather unsightly. At least, it was to Tamatoa’s eyes. Nasty scratches marring his lovely exoskeleton! Hmph.

Nevertheless, he came out of the fight pretty well, all things considered. He’d spent the week taking it easy, sleeping late and conserving his energy. Evenings were spent quietly fishing down at his beach. He hadn’t gone back to the forests to hunt just yet, though. There was no way of knowing what story Maui had given the villagers and, to be safe, he was giving the area a wide berth for now. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an angry mob of humans poking at him with sticks. Besides, fishing was easier than hunting while still nursing injuries. Hunting was more fun, but more hazardous—too much risk when recovering. By the end of the week, however, he was tiring of fish. His wounds had healed enough that he was ready for action again.

In the early morning hours at the end of that week, he was comfortably settled on his beach, enjoying the sun’s warmth for a bit before heading back inland to sleep. He hadn’t done this morning routine as much lately, not since Maui had first found him here, but Tamatoa had missed it. The situation had been shifting in his favor of late, though, and he felt confident that he could return to his nice pleasant beach to bask without trouble.

He dug his legs into the soft sand, comfortable and relaxed. What was left of his nighttime catch of fish was beside him on the sand, only a few speckled groupers remained, but he picked at them without real interest. _Tonight_ , he decided. Tonight he would go back into the forest for something more enticing.

He was lost in such thoughts when he saw a fin cutting through the water of the cove. Sharks were common enough visitors to these waters (and quite tasty!), so he paid it little attention. Instead he just picked idly at his teeth with a fishbone and let himself daydream just a while longer.

\---

Well, well, well! Just the crab Maui was looking for, sitting right up there on the beach!

He circled out into deeper water, before rushing back in, working up the speed to leap out of the ocean. He breached with a splash, and with a shout - “Chee _hooo!”_ \- he flashed back into his human skin, landing in the shallow water lapping at the beach. His aim _had_ been off, a bit, and he hadn’t landed _directly_ in front of Tamatoa - rather a few yards to the crab’s right - but Maui let it go. He wasn’t here to impress the monster particularly much, not anymore.

Maui only wanted one little thing. And maybe a little chitchat to go with it.

“Good morning, Tamatoa,” he greeted, walking out of the water and up the beach. “How are you on this fine day?”

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae jerked in surprise and he nearly jabbed the fishbone straight into his gums when a shark leapt dozens of feet in the air, only to land with a splash right in front of him in a human shape.  The peaceful calm of the morning was, once again, irrevocably shattered.And it would seem that the demigod could change into a _shark_. Well, that explained how he’d driven the fish away.

Tamatoa scowled.  He was _really_ sick of Maui’s _surprise visits_ like this.

Maui’s cheerful greeting only irked him further.  How was he today?A whole lot better before this smug _semigod_ bastard showed up.

But he kept his temper in check.  Mostly.

He assessed Maui with a quick glance.  The demigod looked to have recovered completely, as if the battle had never taken place.  And here he was, once again, barging into Tamatoa’s life. _Again!_

“Ugh, what do _you_ want?” he asked, irritation plain in his voice.  He was beyond faking pleasantries now.

Damnit, he _finally_ returned to enjoy his beach and _of course_ Maui had to show up.  Tamatoa had temporarily laid aside thoughts of how to rid himself of Maui while he recovered, but apparently it was time to start considering such things again if he ever wanted to have any peace.

\---

Maui raised an eyebrow at that. Really? _That_ was the reaction he was getting?

“Nice to see you too,” he retorted. He eyed Tamatoa, took in the still-healing scratches on his soft parts, the scrapes along his shell, and took note of how far along they were. Looked like the fight with Tuahangata had left the crab beat up but uninjured - a testament to the monster’s fighting skill.

Alright, fine, so Tamatoa _obviously_ wasn’t up to the chitchat today. Maui could do without; that wasn’t what he was here for anyway. So he cut right to the heart of the matter:

“So, what’s next?”

\---

_What’s next?!_ Next, Tamatoa was going to have to figure out how to get _rid_ of this jerk– _permanently–_ so that he didn’t have to keep dealing with this nonsense.  That’s what!

He stared at the aggravating demigod through narrowed eyes, though.  He was obviously here for a _reason_ , so what exactly did Maui want from him _this_ time?

“What’s next?” Tamatoa echoed archly.  His tone was exasperated, but his eyes were sharp and calculating.  “What do you mean, _what’s next?”_

\---

His eyebrow arched just a little bit higher, but Maui shrugged. He stuck his hook into the sand and leaned against it, casually.

“You know, like last time. Any monsters bothering you? Anything you need _gone_?”

He _could_ pick on his own, but… it wasn’t the same. The game didn’t work like that. Maui was here because he wanted Tamatoa to pick his next target, and he’d badger him about it, incessantly, if that’s what it took to get what he wanted.

\---

_You. I need YOU gone._

Tamatoa didn’t say that, though. Honestly, he was offended Maui would even come up here asking this again _,_ not even bothering to couch it in concern for humans anymore. What did Maui think he _was?!_ Some errand crab to aid the demigod in slaking his bloodlust?

No thanks.

Tamatoa’s gaze didn’t waver as he speared Maui with it. “No. I helped you get rid of your _rival_ , since you _clearly_ weren’t capable of handling him on your own. Are you incapable of finding other monsters to harass, too?”

He punctuated this by picking up one of the half-eaten fish and taking a bite out of it, a gesture of casual dismissal.

Tamatoa was _done_ with this. He’d had _enough_.

\---

For a long moment, Maui didn’t believe his ears.

_‘No.’_ That was not an answer he had heard often in his long, long life. 

A small swell of anger rolled in his stomach, but he ignored it, cocking his head to look at Tamatoa. It wasn’t so much that Maui was being denied, it was that Tamatoa was _refusing_ to participate. They’d gone through so much together, and he was backing out now?

Absently, he fingered the feather on his necklace.

“Tua was a bit worse than just ‘my rival’,” he answered, and nodded over to indicate Tamatoa’s claw, the one that had been skewered and that Maui had healed. “He would have gone through this whole island, killing everything that wasn’t human and mortal. Would have taken him less than a week on his own; less than that if I’d actually been interested in helping him.”

He paused, considering, then tilted his head the other way. That wasn’t really what Tamatoa was talking about, though, was it?

“Why _don’t_ you want to help?” he asked. “You have a soft spot for the other monsters here?”

\---

Well, Tamatoa didn’t have any great love for the other monsters on this island–save one, of course, and she could take care of herself.  But he had even _less_ love for Maui and was of no mind to help him anymore.  Indeed, he had grown to _loathe_ Maui–the first time he’d ever experienced a feeling of dislike quite so strong and fierce.

He didn’t fail to notice as Maui fingered the feather on his necklace, a simple gesture that carried an ominous tone.  Tamatoa shifted his legs, bringing them to the surface of the sand under the guise of rearranging his sitting position–ready to spring up if necessary.

“ _Why?_ ” he countered Maui’s question with one of his own.  “Why would I _want_ to help you?”

\---

Maui could think of several answers to that, but first among them was the whispering voice in the back of his head, _if you don’t play the game, you’re_ fair _game._

But he didn’t say that.

“I dunno, I thought that’s what we were doing,” he tried. “I help you, you help me.” But Tamatoa looked ready to run -or fight- and that wouldn’t help his case any right now.

So Maui did something he didn’t normally do: he backed off.

He began with another shrug, then straightened up, pulling his hook out of the sand and propping it up on his shoulder as he turned and stepped back to the water.

“But, hey, that’s fine. You’re still hurt and grumpy - your legs are in the wrong position, by the way - so I’ll check back on you tomorrow. Sleep well, buddy.”

Without a single glance back, Maui dove under the waves and transformed back into his shark form. He thought about hanging around, keeping an eye on his recalcitrant partner, but decided it would accomplish nothing.

He’d find Tamatoa again tomorrow, and ask again.

\---

Tamatoa’s glare grew angrier at the little snide comment about _how he was sitting_.  Well, apparently Maui hadn’t fallen for the ruse before like he’d hoped.  Tamatoa was simultaneously annoyed at Maui’s quip and _unsettled_ that he might have figured out how to use his crab-shape more effectively despite his efforts to throw the demigod off track.

He scowled at Maui’s back as he departed, but elected not to say anything more.  His relaxing morning on the beach was officially ruined.

Disgruntled, Tamatoa rose from ground, shaking the fine grains of sand off himself, and marched inland to one of his last few undisturbed sleeping places.  Leaving the rising morning sun behind, he settled in for a nice long nap.

Tamatoa woke again in the twilight hours, as the warm air cooled into evening.  He stretched, testing his legs out and checking over his healing wounds.He was feeling far better now, the soreness mostly gone and the gashes healed enough to be no hindrance.  In the growing dark, he smiled.It was time to return to the hunt.

He was cautious as he approached the forest near the village, keeping his bioluminescence darkened as he as prowled as close as he could get before the trees grew too dense for a monster to pass.  He was a phantom in the quiet woods, silently assessing the state of things.

He was pleased by what he found, or rather, what he _didn’t_ find.  There was no sign of any warriors on patrol.  There were no watchmen, no guards, no monster-hunting parties ready to attack.  He wasn’t sure what Maui had told the villagers in the wake of Tuahangata’s demise, but they clearly hadn’t gone on the offensive because of it.

Thus assured, Tamatoa set off in search of his preferred prey once more.

Morning found him well-fed and comfortably holed up in one of the more remote corners of his territory.  It was far from the village, nearly on the western border of his lands.The entrance was discrete and vine-shrouded, so low slung under a rocky outcrop that he had to nearly flatten himself to the ground to enter.  It lead under the ground into a cave he had dug himself into the dark soil–warm, cozy, and earthy with a few tree roots dangling from the ceiling.

It was here he settled down for the day.  Maui was far from his mind.Once again, he had procrastinated rather than actually coming up with a plan to get rid of the irritating demigod.  It could wait till tomorrow, he reasoned.

As the sun rose outside, Tamatoa drifted off to sleep with a content smile.

\---

When, yet again, morning came and several mortals were missing, Maui wondered what on earth it was that made them keeping going out into the woods, usually alone, usually unarmed, and even with the warnings that there were _several_ hungry monsters out there.

There might be something to it; but that was a question for another day. No, _today,_ he was feeling that itch deep under his skin, and he had his own monster to go talk to.

Of course it wouldn’t be so simple as finding Tamatoa on his beach again. Maui flew across what he knew of Tamatoa’s territory, checking each place he’d found the crab before. They were all empty.

That flame of anger from yesterday rekindled. Tamatoa was _hiding_ from him now? What had happened to that anger, that hostility, from their near-fight? What had happened to the thread of camaraderie before and during their fight against Tuahangata?

After everything, the crab was _avoiding_ him?

Nope. Not gonna happen. Maui would flush him out.

Still in flight, he circled back around the the woods near the village before landing lightly. Next, he transformed into his newest form: giant, monster crab.

The crab had the keenest sense of smell of any creature he could change into, and despite Tamatoa’s attempts to steer him wrong, Maui quickly got the hang of tracking things down. It took him no time to find the scents of human blood and monster, and very little effort to follow that scent west, further west than he’d expected the crab’s territory went.

And while the going was slower than he would have liked, given his size and some trees that he couldn’t simply push over or swerve around, he _did_ find Tamatoa. Resting peacefully in the back of an earthen, dug-out cave, completely oblivious to Maui’s presence right outside.

Hmmm. What to do, what to do….

He glanced around, his eyes moving independently (and wasn’t that a new sensation!) and spotted a coconut palm nearby. He deftly snipped a few fruits then transformed back to his human skin. Then Maui dragged his haul over to the entrance of the cave, made himself comfortable, and began the process of husking the coconuts. He made no effort to be quiet. A pensive frown spread across his face.

Tamatoa would hear him soon enough.

\---

Tamatoa was fast asleep, dreaming pleasant things, when…

THUNK

...something began...

THUNK

...to slowly break into...

THUNK

...his pleasant...

THUNK

...slumber.

He awoke groggily, squinting at the bright sunlight spilling through the narrow entrance to his sleeping spot.   _Too early_.  He closed his eyes again, trying to block it out.  The rhythmic sounds continued, however, repetitive and annoying.  His antennae twitched with every thunk.

Tamatoa’s eyes slit open again and he glared, frustrated, at the light from outside.  What was going _on_ out there?

Unable to fall back asleep with the racket, he shook his head to clear it and lifted his antennae alertly.  It was only then that the familiar scent filtered in.

An angry growl built in his throat.  Damn that demigod!Damn him!How had he even _found_ this place?!  Tamatoa was going to have to do something about this and _soon_.  He was running out of safe places to sleep.

The sounds continued, unabated.  Whatever Maui was doing out there, he clearly wasn’t going to go away.  Tamatoa was just going to have to get up and deal with him.

Irritated, he pulled himself up and shook the sleep from his eyes.  Once he’d roused himself to a proper state of alertness to face this menace, he peered outside, bending down and angling an eye through the cavern’s opening.

Sure enough, there was Maui.  Sitting just outside the entrance and apparently _husking coconuts_.  Right there on Tamatoa’s lawn.

Well, that wasn’t going to do.

Unfortunately, there was no _graceful_ way to exit this particular lair.  He would have to flatten down no matter what to exit.  And that would leave him in a compromised position until he got out and into the open.  He’d try to avoid that unless he absolutely had to.

So for now, he just yelled out through the cavern entrance, in such a manner that he thought it would make his feelings _quite_ clear.

“GO AWAY.”

\---

Maui snorted to himself at the grumpy, annoyed, and ultimately sleep-heavy voice that yelled at him.

“Wow,” he quipped, looking up from his work. “Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the riverbed this afternoon.”

He held up a husked and split coconut, the soft white flesh of both halves ready and available. “I’d offer you some dessert, but somehow I don’t think you’re interested.” He looked Tamatoa up and down, through the darkness of the cave, then took a bite of some of that proffered coconut, his teeth scraping against the shell.

He chewed, then swallowed, and finally asked, “So have you had a chance to think about it?”

\---

Tamatoa glared out through the cavern opening as Maui ate _his_ coconuts.  Sure, a coconut was barely a nibble for him these days, but he still liked them and those were _his_.

Moreover, he was pretty sure he knew what Maui was implying with his little comment about _dessert_ , too.  Funny, the demigod only seemed to bring that up when he wanted to exert a little _leverage_.  Didn’t seem to bother him when he wanted help fighting Tuahangata.  But now here Maui was again, asking Tamatoa to find him some other monster to kill and brandishing subtle implications.  Well, Tamatoa wasn’t going to play this game anymore.

“Look, man,” he said, voice firm.  “I told you _no_.  What part of _no_ do you not understand?”

\---

Maui quietly took another bite of coconut and chewed, thoughtfully. He let the silence ring around them for a long moment.

“I do understand,” he finally spoke. He didn’t look at Tamatoa.  “I understand that you don’t want to help me anymore. That you have other _priorities_.”

He set the coconut down before him, brushed his hands free of the fiber that clung to his skin. Then he stood, but still looked aside, not directly at Tamatoa just yet.

“All I want is a name. Not even a name: a place. Then I’ll be out of your antennae for a while.” He shrugged nonchalantly. 

Then he turned and looked directly at Tamatoa, eye to eye. “I know you understand what I’m asking. I am not convinced you understand the consequences of my question.” He kept his hands low, posture loose and nonthreatening - his words were enough.

Maui turned back around, then, stooping to pick up his hook and walking away from the earthen cave.

“I’ll come back tonight,” he said. “Try to think of someone by then.”

Then he was gone.

\---

Tamatoa stared at the now-vacant threshold of the cavern, the empty space where Maui had stood moments before.  An unease took hold of him, creeping in to overtake his anger. There was something in the demigod’s eyes and a whiff of something in the air which set Tamatoa’s teeth on edge and sent that uncomfortable crawling feeling under his exoskeleton again.

_The consequences_ , Maui had said.  It was a threat. There was no getting around it.  Maui’s meaning was crystal clear: present some other monster as a sacrifice or _become_ the sacrifice.

Tamatoa had no noble streak in him; he possessed no heroic drive to save his fellow monsters.  There was only one monster on this island he cared about, other than himself. All the others were just bad neighbors and part of him wondered if maybe he _should_ just play along and give Maui what he wanted to preserve his own interests.

But where would it all end?  If he kept offering up his neighbors to the demigod, eventually there would be none left.  Tamatoa was under no illusion that Maui’s bloodlust would be satisfied there, however. No, once the others were gone, all that would remain would be himself and Aiata.  And then Maui would come for them, too. It was only a matter of time.

At that disconcerting thought, the feeling of unease which had overtaken him at Maui’s departure now settled into the pit of his stomach like a cold lump.  Any hope of returning to sleep vanished, evaporating into the afternoon air. Tamatoa was antsy, on edge now.

He wasn’t going to do it.

But he couldn’t stay here.  Maui had found this place, the last of his hidden sleeping spots.  All that remained was his open-air cliff home, which would be easy for a transformed Maui to find as a hawk, and the secret place where he went underground to molt.  He wouldn’t _dare_ go there, however, not at the risk of potentially leading Maui to it.  The thought of the demigod knowing where he spent his most vulnerable time was terrifying.

_How_ had Maui found this place, though?  Tamatoa rarely came to this corner of his territory and this was probably one of the best hidden lairs he had.  It was this question and the need to find an answer to it that finally drove him out of the cavern and into the sunlight.  After a quick check to make sure Maui truly was gone, he shimmied under the low overhang and emerged into the open.

There were scattered coconut husks scattered about and coconut fiber piled up near the cavern’s opening, but that wasn’t what caught Tamatoa’s attention.  No, it was the _scent_ left behind that set his antennae dancing.  The demigod’s usual foul stench was thick on the ground, but here it was mixed with _another_ familiar smell.  A growl built in Tamatoa’s throat, even as a sinking feeling gripped his heart.

Maui had come here in the false shape of giant crab.  It could only mean that the demigod had figured out how to, at least on some level, track by scent.  It was the thing that Tamatoa had dreaded and had tried valiantly to obstruct. Fear threatened to take over at his realization, but it was rapidly outstripped by a growing anger.

The very thought of Maui strutting around his territory in a shape modeled on his own but larger stirred something primal within him.  His claws opened and closed in agitation as a wave of unreasonable fury swept through.Maui thought he could track Tamatoa so easily, did he?  Thought he could march around Tamatoa’s territory with impunity, making demands and lofty threats? Well, he’d see about that!

There were hours yet till sundown in these early days of summer and Tamatoa set off into the wild forests with bloody-minded thoughts and a bad temper.  He had work to do.

A crab’s sense of smell was incredibly powerful, but it took more than just _detecting_ smells to use it effectively.  Tamatoa had spent centuries of his long life perfecting his skills, honing and fine tuning them to an art.  As such, he knew all the pitfalls and traps and confusing scents that could mask, distort, or undermine a trail to an inexperienced–and in this case _imitation_ –crab.  So as the remaining hours of daylight went by, he laid down trails criss crossing his territory.  Some were clean and crisp, others were muddled and masked, and all were confusing. Scents rarely lingered on the ground for more than a few days, but that’s all he would need to get him through for now.  If Maui came looking to track him by scent again, he’d spend hours going in circles.

The sun was dipping below the horizon as Tamatoa finished up his first task.  The work had done little to diminish his temper, though. If anything, being driven from all his comfortable living spaces, forced to take measures such as these, and knowing there was no safe place in his territory to rest had only sharpened his anger.

It took all his willpower to keep his bioluminescence darkened and under control as a moonless night fell, though as his temper flared he couldn’t prevent the flashing colors from blazing to life in his eyes from time to time.  Despite the occasional flicker, he still managed to enter the forest near the village with great stealth as he set out to hunt down a meal.

He had to be quick if he wanted to avoid Maui, and quick he was.  He came across a wayward pair of humans in no time at all.They were chattering noisily, heedless of the danger, as they blundered uninvited through his forest.  He swept upon them like a tidal wave, overwhelming the pair easily and pinning both to the ground in an instant.They struggled uselessly against his claws, making short, gasping cries of terror.  He smiled malevolently down at them, baring glowing teeth and flashing eyes in the dark.

In his fury and frustration, he was not gentle.  He tore them apart with a murderous ferocity that was at odds with his usual exuberant, but efficient, hunting style.  They were shaped like Maui, large, sturdy humans decorated in intricate tattoo markings, and, in some fury-clouded corner of his mind, Tamatoa let himself imagine that it _was_ Maui as he rent their soft flesh and crunched through their crisp bones.

But it _wasn’t_ Maui.  And it wasn’t nearly as satisfying a fantasy as he would have liked, though it did cool his rage at least a little.

No, Maui was out there somewhere and would be looking for him.  He couldn’t linger here and continue to take his frustrations out on the prey stocks.  So he finished his meal hastily, not bothering to scuff over the dark bloodstains in the earth.  

Then he slipped back into the forest, taking care to keep his lights extinguished and his steps on the scent trail he had laid out earlier.  He doubled back along the trail until he reached a confusing intersection of several of his carefully applied scents. It was here that he diverted, taking a little-used path out of his territory and into the hills where Nākahi, the late krait, had lived.  He used every trick he knew to destroy his trail and mask his scent from a neophyte tracker as he climbed into the hills, hoping fervently that Maui would be unable to find him up here.

Once there, he made his way to a cavern he had spotted on his last trip through.  It wasn’t ideal–dripping with cold water from the ceiling and floored with unyielding stone instead of comfortable sand–but he wasn’t in a position to be choosy tonight.  He retreated into the damp dark of the cave, then sank carefully to the hard ground, arranging his legs so that he was ready to spring up if necessary.

He didn’t sleep. He didn’t even close his eyes.  He just watched the cave’s entrance steadily.

He watched and he waited.

\---

That evening, Maui flew over Tamatoa’s favorite beach, half-hoping he’d make himself easy to find. No such luck there. So when Maui flew to the last place he’d found Tamatoa, he was unsurprised that the crab was gone. Disappointed and angry, he changed back to his giant crab form and began to follow the scent trail back into the forest. He didn’t bother flying to the other hiding spots that he knew of; Tamatoa had consistently moved to a new place every time Maui had found him out, and this time would be no different.

However, he quickly realized… Tamatoa had set out to baffle him. Scent tracks led in circles, and no matter if he followed strong scents or weak, the crab was nowhere to be found. His anger steadily built as he searched, and eventually he switched back to hawk and circled the area, searching visually by moonlight.

Nothing.

Anger was quickly giving way to fury, fueled by his frustration. The itch was in his _bones_ by now, and he knew he was going to have to perform stopgap measures until the game could be played properly once again. But his anger at Tamatoa refused to let him leave the chase, so he landed in the woods near the village to continue the search on foot there.

All he found was a puddle of fresh blood.

Maui was _livid_ at this discovery. Infuriated that Tamatoa could venture so close and still evade him so handily, despite all the tricks in Maui’s repertoire.

Where was he?!

Briefly, Maui considered the tunnels on the other side of the island. But it was too far; Tamatoa couldn’t have gotten there in the time he’d last seen him, especially not with blood this fresh on the ground, here by the village. Besides which, Maui remembered the last time he’d been there - he would have less luck finding Tamatoa in those dark, close, twisting tunnels than he’d had here, on open, forested land.

He was still curious about whatever Tamatoa was hiding in there. But he set that curiosity aside, for now.

So, he couldn’t find Tamatoa. The crab had found some hiding place that was beyond Maui’s scope. To flip this situation back into his favor, Maui was going to have to level the playing field.

Literally.

Right there, next to the puddle of blood, Maui sank low to the ground. He reached out, and a spark ignited beneath his palm, catching on anything dry it could find. Within moments the blaze was going, and Maui whispered the winds to him, urging it to push the fire out, across the western half of the island and away from the village.

Maui stood back and watched, dispassionately, his anger bled from him and into the flames that grew to a raging firestorm.

Let’s see how well Tamatoa could hide when everything around him burned to the ground.

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes were beginning to flutter closed of their own accord, fatigue from his busy day and disturbed sleeping pattern settling in, when the smell of smoke drifted into the damp cave.  His antennae jerked up sharply, eyes flying back open, and he jumped up to stand in an instant.

His first thought was that Maui had found him, bringing smoked meat again as an attempt at bribery.  A quick check showed that was not the case, however.He was still alone here in the now-dead snake’s territory.  Maui was absent, but there was a strange orange glow faintly illuminating the sky beyond the mouth of the cavern.Curious, he stepped outside the cave to see what _was_ going on.

What he saw made his legs go weak with shock.  The lowlands, his home, were aflame.From his vantage point here, high in the hills, he was given an unhindered view of the whole scene below.  Fire had engulfed the forest, burning nearly every corner of his territory along the island’s coast and even beyond his borders.Flames licked at the top of even the tallest palm trees, rendering the night nearly as bright as day.  Clouds of dark smoke billowed, blown west by winds moving against the island’s usual pattern and carrying embers that sparked more fires wherever they landed.

His home was being destroyed.

He let out an distressed wail and his legs started moving almost without thought.  It was only once reason caught up with him that Tamatoa stopped himself from running down the hillside towards his burning home range.  There was nothing he could do, he couldn’t stop this.Fire was beyond the control of monsters.

Instead he skittered back and forth along the ridge where he was poised, watching in growing agitation and horror and despair, as the territory he’d fought so hard for was incinerated.

Then, as he watched the flames dance below, the harsh realization began to set in.

The wind was moving wrong, the flames were spreading too fast.  This was no _accident_.  This was no _coincidence_.  This was _Maui_.

_Maui_ had done this.   _Maui_ had destroyed his home–no doubt retaliation for Tamatoa’s refusal to cooperate and his subsequent deception afterwards.

The loathing for the demigod, which Tamatoa had been nurturing over the past month or two, now matured into true hatred.  Tamatoa had never _hated_ anyone before.  Sure, he had annoyances, peeves, and dislikes, but this was something else.  This was pure hatred.He _hated_ Maui.

As the flames of his home glinted in his eyes, Tamatoa knew he had to do _something_.  And he had to do something _now_.  If he kept waiting, kept procrastinating while he hoped things would return to normal, he would wind up dead.  Things were _never_ going to return to normal now.  His home was gone and this demigod was the cause.  There was no going back.He had to destroy Maui before Maui destroyed him.

But how?  He had seen Maui fight, first against Nākahi, then against Tuahangata.  The demigod was fast, powerful, and unbelievably dangerous.Maui had been equally matched to Tuahangata and it had taken _both_ of them to take down that other demigod.  Even if Maui’s power stemmed primarily from his fishhook, as Tamatoa was fairly certain of, there was little chance of separating him from it in a fight.  To fight Maui alone was _suicide_.

Tamatoa’s antennae perked.

He didn’t have to fight Maui _alone_.

Despite the despair and the fury and the loss, a small hint of a smile crept onto his face.

After one final, mournful glance at the lowlands where he’d made his home for centuries, he put his back to the glowing wreckage and started north.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note from raptormoon:
> 
> >:D Enjoy your reading, my lovelies.  
> 

It took Tamatoa the rest of the night and most of the next day to get to the northern shore of the island.  Tired and weary, he crossed into Aiata’s territory shortly before sunset.  To his surprise, she found him mere moments after he had arrived.  It was as if she was waiting for him, standing near the border in the slanting light of the late afternoon.

Aiata was larger than him, standing nearly a head taller and outweighing him by a not inconsiderable amount.  Her coloration was lovely, a delicate blending of rich browns fading into tan along her shell, and a dusting of light and dark blue, layered over a base of creamy tan on her legs.  Purplish blue highlighted her face, blending back into more sandy tans.  Overall, the impression was striking, yet feminine.  But her true beauty was in her strength.  She was powerfully built, with strong claws and sturdy legs.  Moreover, she knew how to use them.  Aiata moved with the smooth, effortless grace and elegance of a natural warrior.

The first time he tried to court her, strutting around and showing off in that sultry summer season long ago, she had hooked a single leg under the edge of his shell as he sauntered by.  Before he could blink, one quick motion saw him flipped onto his back, where he had laid, stunned and staring up into her laughing, purple-tinted eyes.  It was all over after that.  He was smitten.

Now, so many years later, it still hadn’t worn off.  They spent most of their time apart, living the solitary lives typical of monster crabs, but their time together in summer was always the highlight of Tamatoa’s year.  He relished every moment of it.

This was a reunion vastly unlike most summers, though.  Aiata’s eyes were troubled and his were grim as they met across the distance.  Nevertheless, he hurried forward and, when he reached her and their antennae touched, there was a fleeting hint of normalcy in that fond twining together–a familiar, comforting embrace.  It was quickly swept away, however, by the reality of what had brought him here.

Greetings behind them, Aiata looked him up and down.  Her sharp eyes missed nothing, taking in the half-healed wounds on his face and neck, the deep gouges in his exoskeleton, and the odd pockmark scar on his claw.  When she looked back into his face, there was no room for nonsense in her expression.  “You look like hell,” she told him bluntly.  “Tama, what’s going on?  Last night I smelled heavy smoke and now you show up, beat up and hollow-eyed.  Please tell me you’re not still dealing with that demigod.”

She never was one for mincing words.

He looked away, but answered honestly.  “It’s worse than just that.”  Then he met her eyes once more, heavy with weariness.  “I need your help.”

Aiata sighed.  “Of course you do.”

She motioned for him to follow and together they set off towards the nearest entrance to the tunnels.  As they walked, he told her everything–everything that Maui had done, everything he had done to counter, and everything that had happened as a result.  Aiata’s remarks varied from amused to exasperated as he spilled his story, but he could already see the calculating look in her eyes.

Together they descended into the endless tunnels that comprised Aiata’s home.

And deep in those dark tunnels, far beneath the surface, they hatched a plan.

\---

When dawn arrived, the sun rose over a charred and barren landscape. Maui’s fire had raged throughout the night, reaching the western shore and beginning to curve north before the winds would abide no longer, and returned to their usual directions.

The demigod looked out across this blackened vista, and was less than happy.

He _still_ couldn’t find Tamatoa.

While not every tree had been burnt to ashes, the forest here was considerably thinner than it had been before. There was nowhere left to hide, no green foliage to cover any holes or caves or dugouts. And while there were many charred corpses, of wild pigs and birds and lizards, there was nothing resembling a giant monster crab.

Tamatoa had escaped.

Well, had escaped Maui’s fire, anyway. He hadn’t escaped Maui’s wrath.

It was a big island. It was possible the crab had gone anywhere on it. But Maui knew, with no degree of doubt, that Tamatoa had gone to those tunnels under the bluff on the north side of the island.

His first instinct was to follow, to hunt Tamatoa to - and under - the ground. He held himself back, however; knowing that in this state he would be sloppy at best, disadvantaged at worst. No, better to clear his head first. A blind, angry rush would never win the day.

Maui _did_ hunt, then, but for nothing in particular; merely flashing down upon the first monster he came across with lightning speed and no warning. The lizard creature managed to put up a decent fight that took the better part of the day, but in the end Maui was victorious. He removed a tooth and affixed it to his necklace, then returned to the village to rest.

The itch had been scratched, but had not disappeared entirely. The ritual was incomplete, the game unplayed; and for the first time since coming to this island, Maui regretted befriending a monster. Everything would have been much simpler if he’d found a mortal, as he’d done on islands past. However, they’d been so preoccupied with whatever mysterious thing they were looking for in the jungles that they’d hardly given him more attention than they’d needed to ask him to help with their little monster problem. Something was _weird_ about that, not being fawned over like usual, but it had been a _long_ trip and Maui was too distracted to investigate. The itch had been driving him crazy, and, finally ashore, Maui could finally _hunt.  
_

He shook his head, sharply. That was ancient history, now. It was far too late to do anything about it. Maui would simply finish his crusade here then move on. Set sail for a new island, and start over, and do it _right.  
_

He would begin in the morning, he decided, entering the _fale_ and walking up to the hammock given to him. He would take the night to resettle himself, turn his anger into determination, and focus on what needed to be done. He could take his time, too - the island may be big, but it was still an island. Tamatoa wasn’t going anywhere.

Maui cracked his knuckles, then settled in to sleep. In the morning, he would find Tamatoa. Then, the fight that they had almost begun in the woods, that they had been on the precipice of ever since defeating Tuahangata, would finally be upon them.

There was no going back, now.

\---

Once their plans were laid, Tamatoa and Aiata rested–taking short naps in turns until they were ready to take action.  They were going to need to be well-rested for what was to come.

Several hours before dawn, Aiata nudged Tamatoa awake.  He opened his eyes slowly and met hers, glowing red in the dark.  A meaningful look passing between them.  It was time.

The mood was quietly serious as they prepared.  But once they were ready, excitement began to build into Tamatoa.  _Finally_ , he was going to get rid of Maui.  He had a _good_ feeling about this.

This was going to be a day to remember.

He caught Aiata looking at him out of the corner of his eye.  He could already tell that she had picked up on his excitement.  “Keep to the plan,” she reminded him, gently but firmly.

He flashed her a cocksure grin.  “No worries there,” he assured.  “We’ve got this.”  Tamatoa stepped close until their antennae touched, brushing lightly against each other.  “I’ll see you soon, be ready.”

She smiled, all teeth and sharply pointed, glowing lines of bioluminescence.  “Good hunting.”

He grinned again, then turned and headed up towards the surface eagerly.  It was still full dark as he emerged into the open air.  His antennae fluttered in the cool night breeze that swept over these high bluffs.  He wasted little time once on the surface, starting off at a fast pace to the nearest game trail.

This far from the village, prey was less abundant, but not absent.  It took him the better part of an hour, but he finally located something suitable to make a statement with.  He killed the wayward wanderer on the spot with a sharp squeeze of his claw–a quick and bloodless kill, made in the interest of saving the mess for later.

The sky was beginning to lighten, the pale blue of pre-dawn collecting on the horizon.  He had to hurry.  Tamatoa figured it wouldn’t take long for Maui to find him once the sun came up and he needed to be in position before then.

So, with his kill in claw, he hurried back to the bluffs, though to a spot different from where Maui had found him before.  It was nearby, easy enough to spot from the air, but near a different tunnel entrance–one which Aiata had confirmed that Maui hadn’t explored on his last visit here.

He made it to the proper spot just as the sun broke over the horizon, heralded by an eerie flash of green.  It was a common enough atmospheric phenomenon, but something about it sent a touch of unease through Tamatoa.  He had no time to worry about ill omens and portents, though, and brushed the thought aside.  He still had work to do, after all.

So, he he set about laying out his bait.  With a twisting jerk of his claws, he tore the carcass of the human he’d killed in half.  He bloodied the ground, first with a concentrated pool in one spot that would be easy to spot on the bright green grass, then leaving an light trail towards the tunnel opening that would have to be seen from the ground level.  He scattered a few small shreds of bloodstained tapa cloth on the earth, too.  The rest he ate quickly, before retreating to just inside the tunnel.

Tamatoa knew he’d have to make an appearance.  He’d have to get Maui good and riled up before launching their plan into action.  Now he just had to wait for the demigod to arrive.  Tamatoa turned his eyes to the sky, peering out from under the shelter of the tunnel.

It wouldn’t be long now.

\---

When morning came, Maui rose quietly, solemnly. He bathed, and ate well, and cleared his mind, before finally deeming himself ready.

The flight to the bluffs was familiar enough, by now, and he wasted no time in getting there. Circling for a landing, his eyes caught on a bright red spot - blood. No signs of a struggle, no trail leading from the forest - the victim had been taken there, the entire scene staged.

It smacked of a trap.

He transformed and dropped into a landing; the blood was cold, but still fresh. Maui glanced around and saw a trail of it down, leading towards the mouth of a tunnel. There were shreds of tapa scattered around. If there had been any doubt that this was a human victim, that sight erased it.

His eyes continued and there - right there - was Tamatoa. Right inside the mouth of the cave, bioluminescence glowing in the dark of the tunnel, the monster was watching him with a challenging expression, eyes flashing and a smug, nasty grin spread across his monstrous face.

Oh yeah, definitely a trap.

Maui stood slowly from his crouch, not breaking eye contact with the creature lurking in the dark. He’d been in those tunnels before, knew how easily he could get lost. Tamatoa would have the advantage, to be sure.

Maui had been curious, for a long time now, about what he would find inside these tunnels. It was finally time to find out.

So, despite the warning signs, Maui charged ahead anyway.

\---

There he was.  This was it.

Waiting eagerly in the shadow of the tunnel’s opening, Tamatoa watched as Maui crouched to inspect the pool of blood. His bioluminescence flared, excitement coursing through him.  Then Maui met his gaze. It would seem that no further agitation would be necessary; there was no need for additional provocation.  Maui looked ready to fight without so much as a single word from Tamatoa.  And Tamatoa was beyond pretending to be afraid or vulnerable.  The prospect of finally destroying the demigod was too tantalizing to dissemble.  The grin he gave his adversary was full of boasting and bad intentions.

Nevertheless, despite the overwhelming urge to go straight on the attack, he kept to the plan. He was ready when Maui charged.  He made two quick feinting snaps of his claws as Maui drew near, then turned and streaked into the maze of the tunnels.  He kept his bioluminescence blazing, brilliant colors pulsating in the darkness—a beacon for Maui to follow as he navigated the twisted pathways into the endless dark.

\---

Maui didn’t bother to dodge the two snaps, instead confidently bringing his hook up to bear - but it didn’t matter, in the end, as Tamatoa turned tail and fled down the tunnel.

If Maui had not taken the time last night to center and settle himself, he would have continued his charge; anger raging and logic shoved to the back, he’d have rushed right into whatever Tamatoa had in store for him. However, a soft whisper in the back of his mind urged him to slow down, stop, and _think_.

Tamatoa was in there waiting for him, _wanting_ Maui to follow him into who-knew-what. While Maui did not fear for his life, he had seen what Tamatoa was capable of in wide open spaces - he had been vicious and capable in their fight against Tuahangata. Big as he was, Tamatoa was surprisingly agile and still _far_ more familiar with these caves than Maui. The last time the demigod had been here, he had become near-hopelessly lost. He knew it would be imprudent to rush in recklessly and fall prey to Tamatoa’s trap.

But he couldn’t just stay here and _wait_. That was unthinkable. Especially as he watched Tamatoa get further and further ahead.

Maui set his jaw, scowl heavy upon his brow. Then he struck his hook into the stone beneath his feet. As he began to walk, his hook gouged a deep scar into the rock. The rough, scraping noise it made rang out around him and echoed off the walls.

It wasn’t much, he knew, but it would be some line back to the open air, some trail that he could follow when - and he was sure there would be a _when_ \- he found himself unable to navigate this subterranean terrain.

His steps quickened, and soon he was back to a run, tearing into the dark after Tamatoa’s retreating glow. His hook plowed through the stone behind him, occasionally throwing sparks up in his wake, the echoing sounds of his thudding feet and the rending of stone a cacophony in his ears.

The daylight streaming in from the mouth of the cave, now far behind him, quickly disappeared. Despite himself, a thread of unease coiled low in his spine.

_Ready or not_ , he thought, and he was unsure if he meant Tamatoa… or himself. 

_Here I come.  
_

\---

Tamatoa heard the scraping behind him, but didn’t care in the least.  So Maui was leaving himself a trail back out, was he?  Well, he wouldn’t be needing it.  Not if Tamatoa had anything to do about it.

So he pressed on, careening through the tunnels at a breakneck pace and leaving all traces of daylight far behind.

There wasn’t much farther to go, either.  He lead Maui down the sloping tunnels, making several fast turns through side passageways as they made their way deeper into the labyrinth.  Then, as he approached a critical point—a junction where two side tunnels joined the current passageway, he suddenly doused his natural lights, plunging the caverns into total darkness.  Sheltered by shadows, he ducked into the left-hand side tunnel and waited, his blood quickening and antennae quivering with readiness, for Maui to emerge from behind him.

\---

When Tamatoa cut off his bioluminescence without any warning, Maui nearly tripped over his own feet as he stumbled to a stop.

Here it is.

There was only blackness, everywhere around him.

Maui tightened his grip on his hook and brought it to a glow, still embedded in the rock beneath him. In the oppressive shadows, however, it did little good - he was closer to the wall on his right, and could barely make it out, but anything to the left was still obscured.

For all he knew, Tamatoa was right beyond the circle of his light, silently watching.  
The light from his hook would give him precious little to work with, he realized, but it might - at least, hopefully - prevent him from running himself face-first into a wall. That would be embarrassing, even if Tamatoa only lived long enough to laugh about it once.

This was the moment he’d been waiting for. The finish to the fight they’d nearly started. Anticipation sang through his veins, adrenaline rushing through his body. There was only one more thing to do, really: time to spring the trap.

Maui took a deep, fortifying breath of the cold, damp cave air, and stepped forward.

\---

There was a glimmer in the darkness on Maui’s left, a faint flicker of pink and blue.

And from the right came an answering flicker of red and purple.

That was the signal.

Tamatoa let out a roar of challenge, bioluminescence exploding back to life and eyes gleaming with wild energy.  He brought his claws up, open wide and blazing blue, and lunged forward.

But the real attack didn’t come from Tamatoa, it came from the other side.

Silent as the grave, Aiata leapt from the shadows.  Her face was painted in curving streaks of brilliant ruby red and glowing purple, markings more ornate and sinisterly pointed than Tamatoa’s own.  She struck viciously at Maui from the other side, her larger, powerful claws grabbing for his torso.

And just like that fight was on.

\---

\---

Maui spun at the roar, the sudden illumination of Tamatoa’s bioluminescence dazzling his eyes for a moment. He lifted his hook - unmindful of ending the line he’d carved - ready to swing at the oncoming claws.

-Only to be jerked _backwards_ by something closing over his chest.

His heart skipped a beat before he reacted, swiveling his hook around to slice at whatever was holding him. The grip released before he could make contact, however, and Maui twisted to see what was behind him.

It was another crab, red and purple lines tracing down its face a clear echo of Tamatoa’s own.

In that instant, that mere half-second, all the pieces clicked into place: the protective gestures towards this area, Tamatoa’s remark about mating legs, his snide comment on cooperation. Oh, Maui thought. _Oh.  
_

Tamatoa has a _mate_.

There was a brief curl of satisfaction - _she_ would suffer for Tamatoa’s behavior, too - but it was cut off by more pressing matters when Tamatoa, now behind him, made his own attack. Neither of them would suffer anything if Maui didn’t get his head in the game.

He ducked beneath a swinging claw, and began to fight back.

\---

Whereas Tamatoa was fierce and aggressive, Aiata was vicious and precise.  And together, the pair of them moved in absolute synchronicity, hammering at Maui with short, lightning fast attacks.  Each attack was timed so that the next fell right on the heels of the first, forcing Maui to constantly defend himself without being able to launch an offensive counter-attack under the hail of blows.  It was a never-ending storm of such attacks, designed to wear him down.  Tamatoa had taken a strong lesson away from their fight with Tuahangata.

When Maui retaliated, one would dance away, getting out of range while the other attacked from the opposite side.  It was close quarters in here, with little room to maneuver, but they were intimately familiar with this place and knew exactly how much room they had to move.

They were silent as they worked, communicating only in pulsed flashes of their glowing markings—signaling to each other in those otherwise indecipherable flickerings.  It gave the fight an eerie quality, strobing flashes in the dark and grim silence.

Meanwhile, they were shifting slightly—nearly imperceptible in the fast-paced fight—to block him from retreating the way he had come.  Indeed, they were getting ready to start driving him deeper into the caves, farther from the surface and what little safety that would provide.

This wasn’t just some amateur scuffle, this was a fully-coordinated attack made by a pair of seasoned veterans of the art.

\---

This was…

... This was harder than Maui had thought it was going to be.

He knew, had known, what Tamatoa was capable of. Had suspected how much harder this fight would be in the dark, unable to use his most useful transformations in the tight spaces of unknown tunnels. Was prepared to take a few hits as he brought the monster crab down.

But there were _two_ of them. And that made it exponentially more difficult.

Maui couldn't get a single hit in - these monsters were lightning fast, and _strong_. He was struggling to defend himself, getting pushed around and driven-

It occurred to him, in icy, stark realization: he was being driven away from his guiding line, and further away from the entrance to this tunnel.

If they managed to corner him in the bowels of this cave, more than likely Maui would be unable to get himself back out.

Fear began to worm its way through him at that thought. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but he knew enough to _listen_ when he felt it. He was out of his element down here. If he continued fighting this battle, he was going to lose. Maui was absolutely certain of that now.

He had to get out of there.

He took the instant, between one hit and the inevitable next, to transform.

In the shape of a beetle, he dropped to the ground and _ran_.

He didn't have to get far. Just far enough to find the line.

\---

_Fear_.  Tamatoa could smell the first hint of it coming off the demigod.  And that scent, that wonderful aroma, was even more delicious considering its source.  The very fact that they had put the fear into _Maui_ made it all the more intoxicating and drove Tamatoa to push harder, pressing every advantage.  They had him.  They were going to pull it off.  They--

Just as Tamatoa dove forward for another strike, there was a flash of blue and the demigod disappeared.

No!  Not disappeared, _shifted_.  Tamatoa could smell him still, that demigod stink was hard to hide, but it was a smaller scent--something closer to his own kind than mammalian.  Something--

Something zipping by like a tiny insect!

Tamatoa spotted the flicker of movement, iridescent wing casings and faceted eyes catching the glow of his bioluminescence.  His eyes flicked to Aiata and he signaled her with a flash of his antennae.  She responded back in kind, then darkened her lights and vanished into a side tunnel.

Meanwhile, Tamatoa took off in pursuit of the insect, driving behind him with his own glow cranked up as brightly as he could manage.

“Where do you think you’re going, Maui man?” he taunted, lips curved into a malicious smile.  “We’re not done _playing_ with you yet.”

\---

They were _following_ him, Maui could tell, and the fear crept a little higher. Of course they would, he knew how well Tamatoa could scent things out; but even as a tiny insect he was, of course, not beneath their notice.

The hunt, the chase, had been flipped on him. Maui did not appreciate this change.

Tamatoa’s taunt rang out, distorted through beetle-hearing but still discernible. But, as the words registered, finally Maui didn’t feel _fear;_ he felt angry, instead. Anger at himself, for running _away_ from a fight. And anger at Tamatoa, for enjoying it so much.

Even so, he kept on, pushing the burn of anger down and ignoring the sinister calls behind him and searching for the groove his hook had left, his only reliable means of escape.

Lucky for him, it took only another minute to find it.

His miniscule feet tumbled him over the edge and into the cut, and he could sense Tamatoa - and _only_ Tamatoa, where was the other one? - right behind him, his small antennae telling him that much. With a grunt, he transformed again, back to his human skin, and slashed out with his hook, hoping to catch something sensitive on the crab who was _far_ too close.

\---

Tamatoa skidded to a halt as Maui suddenly transformed again _right_ in front of him.  _Too close!_   He was moving too quickly to reverse his gait and back away before the gleaming curve of the fishhook flashed in the dark, scything towards him.  Tamatoa winced, expecting to feel it slice into his claw at any moment as he tried to hastily backpedal.

Then, out of the darkness behind Maui, there was a streak of crimson and purple.  A claw lashed out, sweeping left to knock the demigod sideways just before the hook could land, flinging Maui into the nearest wall-- _hard!  
_

Tamatoa felt relief wash over him and flashed Aiata a fond and grateful smile.  In return, she gave him a narrow-eyed look, a warning not to get complacent, though there was a hint of a grin under it, too.

Now backed up enough to be out of range, Tamatoa fixed Maui with a nasty smirk.  “You’re not getting away so easily, _minigod_.”

And with that they renewed the assault once more.

\---

Maui hit the wall with a _thud,_ the breath getting knocked out of him. He looked up just in time to see the other crab again, before the joint assault began anew.

At least this time he had the wall to his back. Maui had no chance to riposte, not with the speed at which they struck, but he _did_ manage to block a few of the blows, now.

Not all of them, though.

It could be that he was tiring, but each hit felt like it was landing harder and harder. He was getting sore. He was getting _mad.  
_

They thought they were so clever, did they?

With another flash he was back into a bug, zipping through the air this time to get _underneath_ Tamatoa’s mate. She was bigger, and would be harder to successfully hit, but she was also the one between Maui and the entrance.

It took some maneuvering to get squarely beneath her, as neither crab stood still; but when he was there he transformed in mid-air, swinging his hook high above him, hoping to slice into her belly and, maybe, even cut her in half….

\---

At the flash of transformation, Tamatoa let out a frustrated growl, eyes darting this way and that to find the irritating little insect.  Where was he? _Where?!_   He pushed his bioluminescence brighter, looking for the reflection of it on the beetle’s shiny exterior and searched all around the darkened junction.  _He couldn’t find him_.  Had Maui fled for the surface?  Had he slipped past them?  Had he--

A sudden, sharp snarl of pain reached his antennae and the sound ran through him in an icy jolt.  His eyes went wide and round.  The sound had come not from Maui, but from—

_“Aiata!_ ”

He spun just in time to see the demigod under her, hook slicing down in a follow-through stroke.  In the soft glow of Aiata’s markings, he could make out a long, thin slash tracing across her abdomen, just missing the delicate, feathery pleopods that curled around from the left side, but only by a scant few inches.  The coppery tang of her blood drifted through the air.

Tamatoa felt a feral, primal fury sweep through him.

Aiata was already jumping away, skittering to the side to avoid the monstrous little minigod standing beneath her.  She was quick on her feet, not stumbling or wobbly by any measure.  The wound was only a deep scratch at worst and she was already gamely turning to continue the attack, but that didn’t cool the heat rising in Tamatoa.

With a bellow of pure rage, he charged Maui.

\---

Landing on his feet and falling again to a crouch, Maui had the barest moment of reprieve. The other crab was moving quickly away, and he could hear Tamatoa’s worried exclamation.

Then, in the mere half-second that their eyes met, Maui gave Tamatoa his most chilling, wicked grin. _Yep. I just did that,_ it seemed to say, a silent but murderous taunt.

Then he turned and _ran_ , and the thunder of the monster’s charge was right behind him. Distantly he heard a more feminine voice calling - _Aiata_ , he’d heard her name - telling Tamatoa to stop. He didn’t seem to be listening.

Maui pelted down the tunnel of the cave, hook alight again to aid him in following his trail back out. He went even _faster_ now than he’d run coming in, all vestiges of caution simply _gone_ in the face of making his escape. His fear had fallen back a great deal, but he was in no mood to continue this battle down here. Wincing, he realized he was in no _condition_ to keep fighting here, either: battered and bruised and still feeling winded from being thrown into the wall.

Those two crabs were more than formidable in their own territory. But, as the dim circle of daylight ahead swung into view, relief and confidence flooded back into the demigod. On the surface, where he could _see_ and use bigger transformations and jump and fly around… up _there_ , he could do it.

Maui ran on. _Almost there.  
_

\---

The nasty, taunting grin Maui flashed him only drove Tamatoa’s ire to greater heights.  So when the demigod turned and fled, Tamatoa didn’t slow or divert his charge in the slightest.

Behind him, he could hear Aiata’s voice.  “Tama!  Stop!” she called urgently.  “ _Don’t chase him!”  
_

Tamatoa was too furious to pay heed; the scent of her blood was too fresh in his mind.  Maui had _hurt_ her, had made her _bleed_ , and he was going to make the demigod bleed in payment.  All reason fled before that murderous fury and he thundered after Maui, rage fueling his limbs to go ever faster.  The demigod was just ahead of him, just barely out of reach and silhouetted by the corona of approaching daylight.  

He extended his claws, reaching out ahead, open and grasping for Maui.  Just a little closer and he would have him.

_Just a little closer.  
_

His claws were within a hair's breadth of the demigod.

Then they burst into the open air and bright sunlight.

\---

The _instant_ that Maui was clear of the tunnel, he burst into his hawk form and launched himself straight upward. Tamatoa’s claws snapped shut where he’d just been, and Maui was disconcerted at how many tail feathers he lost in that grab.

But the steep angle coupled with his weary body made his ascent difficult. He flapped with all of his might, but he was not gaining the distance on Tamatoa that he wanted. The crab was still in pursuit and _far_ too close for comfort.

Fine. Maui would have to forego any aerial attacks; he was back on familiar ground, so to speak, and had other weapons in his arsenal besides flight.

He had gained just enough headway to make it back to the bluff, and managed a tired, hasty landing right in the middle of the puddle of blood. Mostly dry and tacky, it nonetheless smeared across his skin in long stripes, and, bordering on exhausted, Maui still felt a twinge of annoyance at that.

Then Tamatoa was _there._ Bearing down upon him, claws open wide in threat and a roar issuing out, the crab looked absolutely _livid.  
_

Maui spun, hook at the ready. He smirked.

_Bring it on!  
_

\---

Tamatoa didn’t wait, he launched _immediately_ into a ferocious attack as soon as the hated demigod alighted on the ground.

His eyes were wild, flashing with faint hints of glowing color even in the brightness of the sun.  He struck fast and hard, driving straight at Maui with nothing but pure animal fury.

He was at a disadvantage here in the open, now fighting in Maui’s domain.  And some part of him _knew_ that Maui, even worn and tired, was _still_ too formidable an enemy to attack head-on.  But that little voice of reason was utterly drowned out by the strength of his rage.

So he charged ahead into the attack, heedless of the danger.

\---

Maui had to swing his hook against the oncoming claws, knocking them away, but the move did little as Tamatoa kept coming. He dove aside as a massive leg came down towards him, Tamatoa’s speed causing the crab to overshoot.

They were clear of each other for a moment, Maui dragging himself back to his feet as Tamatoa turned around. Then another charge, and Maui swung again, and he wasn’t going to be able to keep this up, he had been beaten too thoroughly underground; his energy was flagging.

He had to make this quick.

He dove into a roll forward then sprinted away from the edge of the bluff, running straight underneath Tamatoa and leaving the monster behind him. He did not dare take the second to look back - he didn’t have that kind of time. But when he was free of the crab’s shadow, he gasped in a breath, gripped his hook, and _changed.  
_

In a flash of blue light, there were _two_ monstrous crabs atop that bluff.

Now with the size advantage, Maui reached his own claws out right as Tamatoa finished his spin. His eyes were wide, perhaps only _now_ experiencing fear, as Maui caught Tamatoa by the lip of his shell and flipped him over.

Close as they were to the edge of the bluff, Tamatoa very nearly went careening back down, headfirst. Maui scrambled, still unfamiliar with this body but _determined,_ and got one leg onto Tamatoa’s carapace, pinning him down and keeping him still.

_Finally_ , Maui had him.

“You know,” he gasped out, “you could have just picked another monster. _Any_ other monster.” He reached out with his claw and grabbed the closest leg, shaking it in demonstration. “But _nooo_ , you had to go and make it _personal.”  
_

He couldn’t hold up this shape. Maui was tired - _exhausted -_ and didn’t have the strength to keep up this form _and_ end the battle. He transformed back, and immediately Tamatoa tipped over the edge of the bluff, leaving the two of them tumbling down. The crab’s legs were flailing, trying to gain purchase, except for the one that Maui still held.

That leg he gripped and began to twist. Feet braced against the crab’s carapace, Maui managed to leverage the strength needed keep twisting, then a short, sharp pull-

-the leg tore free, blue blood gushing out and splattering everywhere.

The thrill of victory jagged through Maui then, the heady, intoxicating feeling of an imminent kill flooding his mind. He was too distracted, as such, to see the wild swing of Tamatoa’s claw.

That one last hit was all it took to end the fight, and Maui was sent sailing through the air, hook in one hand and ripped-off monster leg in the other, before he fell into the sea.

\---

Aiata ran through the familiar tunnels after them, ignoring the pain throbbing from the slash across her underside.  It slowed her down some, though, and already the sounds of a fight above were filtering down to her.  A heavy crash reverberated through the caverns, shaking dust from overhead.  She quickened her pace as the passageway grew brighter from the sunlight streaming in.  There was silence above as she raced down the last stretch of tunnel.  Then she was outside, blinking against the blazing sun overhead.

Her eyes, adjusting rapidly, scanned the surroundings, looking to leap into the fray.  But there was no fight, no clashing of--

Her heart stuttered, gripped by an icy claw.

There, laying overturned and unmoving on the grassy slope near the bluff, was Tamatoa.  Bright blue blood ran in wide streaks down the incline from where he lay, pooling in the grass below.  The demigod was nowhere in sight.

That icy grip spread its chill throughout her, speeding from her heart to the tip of her legs and back again.

_Oh no, Tama…  
_

For a moment, she stood paralyzed with the shock.  Then she willed herself forward.  Setting her jaw, she took step after agonizing step forward--each one bringing her closer to the confirmation she dreaded to make.

Closer now, she could see what had been hidden by his bulk before--his front left walking leg was gone, torn away at the second segment.  The broken stump was covered in blood, crusting to a greenish-blue patina in the sea air and still seeping slowly down into the grass.  The scent of his blood was everywhere, overwhelming as she grew near, but there was no sign of the rest of his severed leg.

Steps away from reaching his side, she paused and took a moment to steady herself.

She and Tamatoa had been partners now for nearly two centuries.  They had hunted and fought side-by-side, raising hell on this island every summer for so long it seemed endless.  Of course, Tamatoa had been a local character on this island even before that, but Aiata couldn’t forget the first time she’d _truly_ taken notice of him.  He’d been young and brash and full of himself, but still charming in an endearingly absurd sort of way as he swaggered about, trying desperately to impress her in that first summer, long ago.  Naturally, she’d put him in his place right away, showing him quite decisively that he wasn’t fooling anyone with his peacocking around.  But rather than lashing out with wounded male pride, he had instead looked up at her with delighted, adoring eyes.

And, well, he had charmed his way right into her life.

A life that would lose a great deal of its shine without him in it.

She looked down at Tamatoa’s prone form, then stepped up beside him.  He was utterly motionless, eyes closed.  Hesitantly and dreading confirmation of the truth, she reached forward with her antennae to check for any sign of life, fully expecting to feel none.  She steeled herself, then let them brush lightly against Tamatoa’s own limp antennae.

\---

The world returned to Tamatoa in a painful, disorienting whirl.  _Everything_ was pain, spidering out through him in fiery streaks from one agonizing, white-hot central focal point.

He was alive, though.  He hadn’t expected to wake up, blacking out after making one desperate, last ditch swing at Maui.  The demigod had stood on him, victorious, while Tamatoa had been consumed by howling agony.  The pain had been so _intense_ , overwhelming him until he’d lost his grip on consciousness.  It was _still_ intense, a throbbing misery that still threatened to drag him back down into the darkness again.

But then there was something else, a light touch that was familiar even through his foggy confusion.  His eyes cracked open, vision clouded but sharpening swiftly.  And when the haze cleared, he was staring up into two very familiar, but very startled purple-tinted eyes.

“Aiata?”

The emotions that flickered through her eyes were too quick and too numerous to properly identify, but they settled on what could only be immense relief.

“You look like hell,” she chided him with a smirk, but he heard the faint tremor hidden in her tone.  Then she glanced away, looking across the empty bluff.  “Where’s the demigod?”

_Maui?_   Tamatoa didn’t know.  Had he left?  His last wild swing had been feeble and desperate, so had it really sent Maui off?  “I don’t know.”  A chill ran through him and a fear like he had never known before settled in.  

_What if Maui came back?  
_

The terrifying thought filled his weak limbs with energy and he hastily threw his weight to the side, trying to rock himself upright.  But as his shell tilted, a bolt of pain streaked through him again and he let out an anguished howl.  He had slammed the end of his injured leg into the ground in his efforts.  His eyes swiveled to look and his vision swam for a moment as he realized, as he _remembered_ :  his leg was _gone_. _Gone!  
_

Panic threatened to seize him, but it never had the chance.  Aiata was already at his side, lending her strength to help right him.  She took careful hold of the edge of his shell, then pulled.  Before he knew what was happening, he was back upright and standing again.  Lightheaded from blood loss and off-balance on only three legs, he wobbled unsteadily, but she quickly moved to support his injured side.  Spots edged into his vision, blurring and darkening the peripheral.

There was such beauty in her strength, he thought deliriously as she held his injured side up.  He had known from the first moment she had flipped him over, she was--

“Tama!”  Aiata’s voice cut through his delirium, sharpening his wits with her commanding tone.  “Don’t pass out now, we need to get underground.”  Her eyes scanned the sky, as if expecting Maui to drop down from above at any moment.

The thought that Maui might just do that spurred Tamatoa into greater lucidity.  “Right,” he agreed, though the word was a touch slurred.

He let himself be led along, leaning heavily on Aiata but walking under his own power.  Together, they limped back into the safety of the tunnels.  It was slow going and Aiata took them far from the surface, far from the guideline that Maui had gouged into the floor.  It seemed endless, a long, painful stumble that left him dizzy and faint.

But after what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the safety of a deep, inner chamber of the tunnels.  Once there, Aiata helped him slump heavily to the ground.  Despite the care she took, he let out a fresh cry as his mangled leg struck the floor.  He held the broken stump gingerly back up out of the dirt.  The bleeding had slowed to a sluggish trickle as the terrible wound began to seal itself at the torn joint, but it had bled copiously while he had been unconscious and had left him caked in drying stains of coppery blue blood.

After helping him down, Aiata stepped back to take in the whole wretched view of him again.  Her eyes flitted over his body, looking for additional wounds, before settling once more on what remained of his severed leg.  “Oh, Tama,” she sighed, shaking her head.  “I _told_ you not to chase him.”

Miserable, Tamatoa looked up at her through eyes swimming with pain.  She was right, of course, and he knew he had made a mistake.  He’d let Maui lure him from their domain and into a place where the demigod held every advantage.  And Tamatoa had paid a steep price for it.  But…

“He hurt you,” he mumbled, glancing at the blood-crusted gash along her abdomen.

Aiata sighed again, almost exasperated.  “It’s just a scratch, Tama.”

She didn’t chastise him further, though.  Instead, they shared a look, full of things understood but unspoken.  There wasn’t any need to say them aloud.

Letting out a heavy, pained sigh of his own, Tamatoa laid his head on his pincer and tried to blot out the searing ache still plaguing him.  He felt it as Aiata carefully settled herself on the ground beside him on his uninjured side, nestling close until the edges of their shells touched and their legs overlapped.  Gently, she threaded her antennae with his, twining them together.

“Rest now,” she told him.

It was easy to comply.  His eyes slid closed, seeking the painless oblivion of sleep.

He was just drifting off when she spoke again, and, in his haze of pain and exhaustion, he couldn’t be entirely sure he had heard her correctly.  Her voice was hard, even as her words were uttered in barely a murmur.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make him pay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from jadewolf:
> 
> For those curious, here is what Aiata looks like in Daylight ( https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Daylight-761763146 ) and Bioluminescent ( https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Bioluminesence-761763284 )! There’s also a few more drawings of her (and other assorted crab monster fanart) on my Deviantart ( https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/ )
> 
> ALSO…. a wonderful artist on Tumblr, Yukikotam, made THIS amazing drawing of Aiata: https://yukikotam.tumblr.com/post/181759867653/aiata-for-a-long-time-i-wanted-to-draw-her-33 Thank you so much!! This is so gorgeous and was such a wonderful surprise! :D


	11. Chapter 11

When the water closed over him, Maui felt himself relax. The ocean was warm, and inviting, and quiet; it held his weight and gave him a moment’s peace.

And that would have been all well and good, except that Maui needed to _breathe._

A powerful kick sent him back to the surface, and he sputtered water out of his mouth and nose. He thrashed for a moment, orienting himself, before looking up at the island.

That last hit that Tamatoa had managed to get him with had sent Maui surprisingly far out. He could see the tops of the bluffs but the tunnels and caves were hidden in obscurity. 

He tread water for a moment, thinking to swim back and resume the battle. Then, all at once, the pain and exhaustion caught up with him. He looked down to take stock of himself in the clear water, scrapes and bruises liberally scattered across his body, his fishhook in one hand, and in the other…

He still held the severed piece of Tamatoa’s leg.

Maui couldn’t bring himself to feel satisfaction over it, however. He hadn’t killed Tamatoa, merely wounded him. The slide down the bluff was unlikely to do him in, either.

No. Maui had failed.

Maui had been _beaten._

Fury swept through him at the thought, and it was _almost_ enough to reinvigorate him. Tamatoa was going to _die_ , and die by Maui’s hand… but not just now. As much as he hated the thought, Maui needed to rest, recover… and _not_ enter those caves ever again.

He looked at the severed leg for a long moment, considering. That battle had certainly warranted a trophy, but he hadn’t _won._ He couldn’t put it on his necklace like he had all the rest.

He resolved to think about it on the swim back to the village.

In the form of a shark, the crab’s appendage gently grasped between his teeth, Maui took his time returning. And, once there, he went promptly to his hammock and fell quickly asleep, hook and leg safely stowed beneath him.

Morning brought with it a calm resolve and a simple solution.

Using his hook, Maui carved a palm-sized chunk of exoskeleton away from the leg, then drilled a small hole on one end. This he threaded onto a small rope and attached to his lavalava. It was not a trophy he could wear with pride, but a _reminder_ that he had unfinished business. The rest of the leg he tossed out to sea, for the scavengers to take care of.

Maui sat, eating breakfast with the villagers, brusquely answering their questions but refusing to give them the details. It was not quite shame that kept him quiet, but an angry, focused sense of purpose.

He would have to finish this battle with Tamatoa. He had the advantage, with the crab so grievously injured, but there were other considerations now: the caves, for one, and the mate, Aiata, for another. Maui would have to decide the best way to contend with those.

In the meantime, he recovered, and grew angrier by the hour.

\---

Tamatoa awoke slowly, the world fading back in by degrees and bringing pain along with it.  His leg--or what remained of it--throbbed and ached, but it was no longer the overwhelming agony it had been before.  Now, at least, it was manageable; the pain not gone, but dulled.With that reprieve came greater clarity of thought, though that brought him little comfort.

They had _lost_.

This had been their best chance.  Caught in their trap, Maui had been on the ropes.  They had been so _close_.  A bit more and they would have had him.  They could have killed him.They might have won.

And then Tamatoa had thrown it all away in a dumb moment of foolish impulse.

_He_ had lost.

Misery descended upon him.  It had been _his_ fault and he had paid a steep price.  The stump of his leg spasmed, a painful twinge, at the memory.  The price, however, could have been far steeper.For one terrifying moment, the demigod had him dead to rights and might have killed him on the spot.  It was only dumb luck that Tamatoa had survived.A shudder ran through him.

“Tama?  You awake?”

He opened his eyes at the sound of Aiata’s voice, whispering low in the dark.  She was still at his side, pressed close enough that she must have felt his sudden tremor.

He mumbled an affirmative.

Her bioluminescence glowed softly to life and illuminated the cavern with pale light.  Her eyes were alert and clear, as if she’d been awake for some time.She shifted beside him, turning to get a better look and her antennae flitted across his body, checking him over.  Then, inspection complete, they drifted up to brush against his own in a gentle caress.

“You’re still a mess,” she said, a gentle tease.

He choked out a half-hearted, rueful laugh.  “I know.”

He _was_ a mess.  And he really wanted a bath.  There was dried blood caked on him _everywhere_ , along with copious amounts of dirt and torn up grass from his tumble down the hillside.  But, too weak to even stand on his own, he didn’t think he would be going _anywhere_ for the moment, much less down to the sea to bathe.

He was _hungry_ , too.  Famished and weak from loss of blood, his hunger was making itself known insistently now that he was awake.  He looked up at Aiata and it was as if she had read his mind, or more likely, the need in his eyes.

“I’m going to find us food while we have the chance.”  While Maui was likely still recovering from the fight himself, she meant.  “Stay here and rest.”

With that, she rose from the ground, taking care not to jostle him, and flashed him a tired smile.  Then, with a final light touch of her antennae on his, she disappeared into a tunnel, bound for the surface.

Tamatoa settled in to wait.  He drifted in and out of sleep in the many hours she was gone, taking uneasy rest where he could.

When she finally returned, late in the day, she was hauling something heavy behind her.  He could smell it before he saw it as she approached through the tunnels and it smelled a bit overripe even at a distance.  That was of little concern to Tamatoa at this point, though.When she reached the open, subterranean chamber, he saw what it was that she had brought: a mangled carcass of an enormous lizard monster.  It was carrion and had already been picked at by little mortal forest crabs, but that too was of no concern.

She let it fall with a thump before him.  “Your demigod’s handiwork,” she told him.“Found it up in the hills and his stink was all over it.”

It was a few days dead by the smell of it, likely killed shortly after he had refused to name a new monster victim for Maui.  But it was food and Tamatoa was a practical (and hungry!) monster.He was grateful for _anything_ to eat right now.  So, together, they shared their free meal.  

There would be enough for a few days at least, but it wasn’t going to last them long.  That stark reality brought their problems back to the forefront.

“He’s not going to give up,” Tamatoa said bitterly, pausing between bites.  “He’ll never stop hunting us now.”

“Probably not.”

“What are we going to do?”  The question sounded far more despondent than he intended, but it was hard to hide the hopelessness and dejection he was feeling.  “We’ll never get him down here again.”

She shook her head.  “No, I don’t imagine we will.”

And it was all _his_ fault.  “Aiata,” he began, guilt taking hold.  “I..”

“It’s okay,” she said, cutting him off before he could apologize.  “What’s done is done.”There was no blame, no accusing looks.Aiata was far too sensible to get bogged down in all that.  “We’ll figure something out.”

Yes, Tamatoa wondered, but what?

\---

The second morning after his ill-fated battle against the two monstrous crabs, Maui was _more_ than ready to continue.

Hook in hand and _reminder_ still tied tightly to his lavalava, the demigod was ready to end the fight once and for all.

When he arrived, he immediately set to tearing up the ground above the caves, mighty blows of his hook gouging great rents in the soil. He alternated between rhythms and chaos, intending the noise to filter down and reach those hiding beneath. 

He knew the crabs were nocturnal. He didn't want them to get even a _blink_ more rest.

\---

The two crabs were indeed sleeping in the depths below, nestled close in the enveloping, humid darkness.  

Though a few good meals had helped take the edge off Tamatoa’s weakness, he was still far from recovered.  He had quite a ways to go before he would be able to do much at all and he hadn’t even _tried_ to get up and move around yet.  In truth, he was dreading the moment when he _did_ finally have to try to stand.  But that was for later.For now, he was resting.

Or he was, until the booming echoes rolled through the caverns to them.

He awoke with a start, antennae stiffening as a cold dart of fear rushed through him.  He looked around, almost frantically, as if expecting Maui to be _right there_ in the chamber with them.  Thankfully, that was not the case and he relaxed somewhat.  But it was only by degrees, as the thunderous cacophony of noise continued unabated, rumbling through the cavernous passages.

Beside him, Aiata stirred.  “Doesn’t he have a home to go to or something?” she muttered.

Tamatoa groaned.  “If only.”

Another booming crash reverberated through the tunnels and they both winced.

Grumbling, Aiata moved to stand.  Tamatoa looked up at her, alarmed.  “What are you doing?”

“I want to find out what he’s up to,” she told him.

He went to protest, but she cut him off with a breezy smile.  “I’ll be fine,” she assured him.“Go back to sleep.”

Another boom rattled the walls.

“If you can, anyway.”

Then she vanished into the tunnels.

\---

The racket only worsened as Aiata ascended and she followed the sound, picking a pathway through the tunnels that would bring her topside near the source of it.  As the morning sun streamed in, she slowed her pace and crept carefully towards the light.She kept to the shadows of the tunnel, but peered out once she reached the opening to the surface.

There he was.  The demigod was tearing up the grassy terrain, throwing quite the temper tantrum it would seem.  She watched him through narrowed eyes.

It didn’t seem that he was trying to dig his way in, rather he was apparently just trying to make as much noise and general, wanton destruction as possible.  It would be a nuisance, but not immediately dangerous.

Aiata was just about to turn around and retreat back into the dark when she caught a glimpse of what was hanging from the demigod’s waist.  The sight stopped her dead in her tracks.

It was a piece of Tama’s exoskeleton, dangling like a gruesome prize.  

A spark of anger blazed up in her.  And, driven by that anger, Aiata changed her course.  She stepped smoothly out of the shadows, though not out so far that she couldn’t dart back into the safety of the tunnels on a moment’s notice if need be.  She was fairly confident that he wouldn’t follow her into them, but she also wasn’t foolish enough to push too far either.Regardless, she couldn’t leave this insult unanswered.

“Such _childish temper_ is very unbecoming of a half-baked, so-called demigod,” her voice rang out.  “Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?”

\---

Maui whirled as the voice called out, hook held aloft and ready to battle again.

Only… it wasn’t Tamatoa there. It was the female; Aiata, he remembered hearing her name.

Her words struck him a moment later, picking at an old wound that he had thought - that he was always _trying_ to - put behind him. He grit his teeth, and his muscles tightened, but he just barely managed to restrain himself. A crazed, angry dash now would accomplish nothing; Maui _knew_ that Aiata would disappear as quickly as she had come.

This would be a different battle, then.

He smiled grimly.

“She never had the chance, I’m afraid. How did you sleep?” he asked, changing the direction of this conversation. “Must be hard to take care of an injured weakling,” he fingered the trophy at his waist, “especially when there are so many _dangerous monsters_ nearby.”

\---

Aiata was silently grateful that Tamatoa wasn’t up here to hear that.  His pride was far more easily wounded than he’d like to admit.She, on the other hand, had no hidden insecurities to fall prey to Maui’s jeers.  Even as her ire flared at the brazen demigod’s conspicuous fondling of his grisly trophy, she was more than capable of keeping a cool head.

Instead of rising to the bait, she laughed at him.  “Why don’t you step inside again and I’ll show you just how we deal with _dangerous monsters_ out here.”  Her smile was shrewd and sharp and _far_ from friendly.  “Your performance last time was rather _lackluster_ , but I’d love to smell your _fear_ again.”

\---

Maui raised an eyebrow at that. He slung his hook up across his shoulders, then took a nonchalant step closer to her. Neither were within striking distance, but he wanted to see just how close she’d let him get to her.

“I’ll remember to take a bath,” he quipped, and stepped again. “But, you know, maybe I’ll take you up on that.” Another step. “Even down there, you and Tamatoa couldn’t beat me. You were _close_ , I’ll give you that. Closer than anybody’s been in a long time.” Another step.

“But now? Now, you’re all alone. Just one. Just you against me, and Tamatoa hidden away somewhere licking his wounds.” He paused, then looked thoughtful.

“How’s that gash, by the way?”

\---

She watched him carefully as he stepped closer, but she stood fast where she was without wavering in the slightest, utter, resolute confidence conveyed in her stance.  He was still far enough out of range that she could retreat if need be, although if he kept coming, soon he would be too close.

“You think far too highly of yourself,” she said dismissively, “if you think your feeble little scratch bothers me.”  After all, it wasn’t all _that_ bad.  Her abdomen was sore where his hook had slashed it, and the wound would likely leave a scar, but it was nothing truly debilitating.

Then she laughed again, meeting his eyes squarely.

“And who says I’m alone?”

It was a bluff, but she delivered it without flinching, her tone heavy with implication of things he couldn’t know.

\---

Maui resumed his slow, steady walk, drawing ever nearer to Aiata. He grinned.

“Oh, you really want me to think he’s sitting right there behind you, ready to come to your rescue?” He tilted his head, raked his eyes up and down over her body. “You don’t strike me as the type in need of rescuing.” Another step forward. 

“But, sure, let’s say I’m wrong.” He shrugged as he stepped even closer. Another few paces and they’d be in swinging distance. “I’m all healed up, rested, ready for another fight. Are you? Is Tamatoa? You might have a feeble little scratch, but how’s his _leg?”_

\---

Aiata didn’t flinch, staring down at Maui with a steely gaze as he approached ever closer.  It was a struggle, though.Listening to this flippant, arrogant demigod _gloat_ about what he’d done to Tamatoa was infuriating.  Beyond that, he was getting _far_ too close and he just _kept coming_.  Well, she certainly had _no_ intention on taking him on in a straight fight.  That’s what Maui wanted.That was exactly what Maui had lured Tamatoa into and the cost had been high.

Aiata had other plans.

While she couldn’t _defeat_ him on her own, she didn’t have to let him come here-- _to her home!_ \--and harass them so blithely.  Aiata had not come topside with the intention of drawing a line in the sand, but perhaps Maui needed _one more_ lesson in what awaited him in the dark tunnels beneath the earth just the same.  Otherwise, they might _never_ get any rest; rest that Tama was going to need in order to recover.  She hadn’t believed that the demigod would dare enter her tunnels again, but he was still coming ever closer.  Perhaps he had _not_ learned his lesson before, as she had thought.  Well, if Maui wanted an _extra_ lesson, she was more than willing to teach him.

Finally, the demigod took one step too many.  That was far enough.

She brought a claw up in a smooth, fluid motion.  It was a casual, airy gesture, but one that held a subtle warning--far more subtle than Tamatoa’s overt, open-clawed threats, but every bit as serious.  She made no move to retreat yet, holding still and steady.Nevertheless, every muscle was coiled tightly and she was ready to spring back into the caves in an instant.  Tension filled her, setting every nerve afire.Her mind whirled, already thinking several steps ahead and planning a route through the tunnels.

“No, Tama’s not coming up to fight you,” she granted, although not dignifying Maui’s snide dig about his leg with a response.

Her eyes were hard and unflinching as she met his.  And her voice was equally unwavering as she doubled down and delivered the lie with utmost conviction.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m alone.”

Then she smiled.

\---

Finally, Aiata’s words gave Maui pause. He held eye contact with her, and considered the implications of yet _more_ crab (or, perhaps, _other_ ) monsters.

On the one hand… he doubted her words. If she had other individuals to help her, where were they when she and Tamatoa had had him on the ropes? One more opponent, down there in those caves where he couldn’t see and his shape-changing powers were severely limited, would have left him without options and in a deeply uncomfortable position.

On the other hand… Maui had taken nearly full two days to return here. That was more than enough time for other things to arrive, as well. And while the prospect of _that_ fight filled him with an anticipatory thrill, the memory of _last_ time urged him to caution.

Last time, he had been unprepared to face two opponents. Now, he had no guarantee of how many hungry, angry maws awaited him. It might be none, besides Aiata.

But it _might_ be too many. And Maui was in no mood to be defeated again.

Still standing, he tilted his head slowly to the side, considering Aiata before him. She looked tense.

Maui allowed a lazy smirk to grow across his lips.

“More of you out there, hmm? But tell me: are they faster than me?”

With no further warning, he lowered his hook from his shoulders to brandish before him, and charged.

\---

She couldn’t believe it, Maui _had_ dared re-enter the tunnels!  Surprising or not, Aiata had been waiting for this moment.

As soon as his hook began to move and before it had even left Maui’s shoulders, she sprang into action.  She was already darting into the tunnels before the demigod’s feet even began to move.Her bioluminescence glowed softly to life as the sunlight faded in her wake.

Her route was carefully planned, aimed to lead Maui away from where Tamatoa was resting far below, and into a confusing section filled with densely packed, crisscrossing tunnels.  There, she could easily maneuver around Maui, harassing him from all sides and making it appear as if there were several opponents attacking.

She had to move quickly, though.  The demigod was _fast_ and if she hesitated for even an instant, he’d be upon her before she could get him where she wanted him.  If he caught up to her before then, she knew well enough that it wouldn’t end well for her.Even now, she could hear him behind her, but she dared not turn to look yet.

Racing ahead, she made for the first bend in the tunnels.

\---

Viscerally delighted by the chase, Maui ran after Aiata, a wantonly destructive light shining in his eyes.

He followed her into the tunnel, raced after her as the light quickly grew dim around him. He was gaining on her…

But then her glowing body disappeared around a curve up ahead, and Maui pulled himself to an abrupt stop. No, he wasn’t going to fall for the same trick twice. He was angry, and disgruntled at the loss of this opportunity, but not _stupid._ He knew better, now, than to go racing off into these tunnels.

Maui sighed.

“Fine!” he called out, his voice echoing out through the tunnel. He lit his hook, then began to walk back to the circle of daylight behind him - backwards, unwilling to turn his back on the darkness and the things that might lurk there. But also a good way to make sure his words were heard.

“Hope you sleep well!” he continued. “Give my regards to Tamatoa!”

\---

Aiata had just slipped around the corner, with her tunnel playground just up ahead, when she heard the demigod’s footsteps halt behind her.  She skidded to a stop, dampening her lights and pivoting around swiftly.

Was he diverting to another tunnel?  She couldn’t have him wandering around unsupervised and potentially finding Tamatoa.

But then his voice called out, petulant and sour in retreat.  Well well, perhaps he _had_ learned a lesson from his previous visit here.  Nevertheless, she had to be sure he was _actually_ leaving.  Keeping her bioluminescence darkened, she carefully backtracked around the corner. 

There he was.  The demigod was indeed retreating, holding his illuminated hook before him and--Aiata smirked--walking _backwards_ towards the exit.

She was halfway disappointed that she couldn’t torment him from the darkness of her labyrinthine home again, but at the same time she was greatly relieved that he was leaving.  They truly did need more time before they could seriously take him on again.

This exercise, however, was not without some benefit.  If nothing else, she had confirmed one thing for certain:  Maui really _was_ afraid to pursue them into the tunnels again.  They should be safe from him down here while Tama recovered, but they would have to find some _other_ way to take the demigod down for good.

So she didn’t push Maui further, other than to call out a parting taunt as he backed away.

“Not so bold in the dark, are you?” she called after his retreating form, her strong, clear voice ringing off the walls.  “Run along, little coward.We’ll be waiting for you.Right _here_.”

\---

Aiata’s words made Maui’s blood boil within his veins, but he kept himself calm. Reacting wouldn’t help anything, especially not down here.

“I’ll do that,” he answered gamely, still backing away, back to the light and the surface. “And I’ll be waiting for _you_ up there. Something tells me I’ll be seeing you _real_ soon.” They couldn’t hide forever.

He made it back to the entrance of the cave without further incident or insult, then surveyed the damage he had inflicted upon this ground. It had been directionless, his intent merely to create a cacophony. But _now_ … now he had an idea.

His fishhook was not the best tool for the job, but with his strength behind it, it could accomplish just about anything. It might just take longer.

With anger fueling his newfound determination, Maui began hammering at the ground in a single, concentrated spot, over and over. It would not do much to dig a tunnel of his own, but it would, in all likelihood, cause a few rockfalls in the lower levels.

He could hope, anyway.

\---

Aiata watched him go from the shadows, keeping an eye on him until he was fully out of the tunnels to make _sure_ he was leaving and not lingering in wait.  Then, as he disappeared into the light, she turned to start back down into the lower caverns.

She hadn’t made it more than a few steps before the booming impacts resumed overhead, harder now in a furious litany of thunderous blows.  Less random than before, it sounded as if he were targeting only a single location.

Irritated at the continued harassment, Aiata started marching right back up to give him another piece of her mind.

She was quickly halted by a sharp clap of sound overhead.  Rocks and debris cascaded down onto her, causing her to look up in trepidation.  Blinking the dust from her eyes, she saw cracks beginning to splinter the tunnel ceiling.  They spidered across the stones, accompanied by snapping pops as rock split and shattered.More stones began to rain down, their sizes growing increasingly large.

Trepidation quickly became alarm and she whirled away, breaking into an urgent run.  She bolted down the tunnel, scrambling away towards the deeper levels.

And not a moment too soon.  Behind her, a roaring crash echoed as the shallow tunnel began to collapse.  She moved out of the way just in time, the rocks falling at her heels.Sunlight streamed down, breaking through the cracks as the earth caved in.  Elsewhere, she could hear more rumbling sounds as other parts of the tunnel system broke apart under the onslaught.

Angry as it made her to have parts of her home destroyed, she could do nothing about it.  So, Aiata hurried away, leaving the upper tunnels behind for the safety below.Maui might destroy some of the tunnels near the surface, but there were no shortages of other tunnels to use.  This was just a minor setback, she’d manage just fine.

\---

In the deep chamber below, Tamatoa lay miserably.  The noise had stopped for a bit, but he worried about what that meant.  Aiata still hadn’t returned and she had been gone for quite a while now.  A sudden, disturbing thought sent a cold chill racing through him.What if Maui had caught her?  What if she was hurt up there?

It was frightening enough a notion that he found himself trying to stand.  He struggled, trying to get his remaining legs under him.It did little good, however.  He was still weak and tired and unsteady.Legs wobbling and balance addled, he collapsed back down with a heavy thud.  The stump of his missing limb hit the ground hard and a yowl of pain escaped him, but it was swallowed up by a far louder sound:  a fresh and unceasing barrage of crashing booms emenating from above.

With no way of knowing what was going on, his worry only grew.  What was happening up there?Where was Aiata?He stared uneasily at the entrance to the chamber, not sure what to do.  What if it was _Maui_ who stepped through that entryway, rather than Aiata?

Fear, the seeds of which had been sown when Maui flipped him over days prior, began to creep back in.  Driven by it, he tried again to stand.His legs scraped at the ground and he tried to find the strength to rise, but they kept slipping out from under him again and again.

He had just slumped to the ground once more, landing heavily and painfully, when Aiata appeared in the connecting passageway.  She was covered in grit and dirt, dusting over her glowing colors, and she looked tired, but she was unharmed.Relief flooded him, even as the echoing booms continued to rattle through the caves overhead.

Aiata took one look at him, scrabbling in the dust, and gave him a sharp look.  “Tama, _lay down_ ,” she instructed and her tone brooked no argument.  “You need _rest_ right now.”

Well, Tamatoa had no argument with that.  Relieved, he abandoned any attempt to rise again just yet and slid back down to the ground.  Aiata gave him an approving look at his compliance.Without another word, she stepped over and carefully settled back down beside him, nestling comfortably close.

Under the scent of rock dust and soil, he could smell a whiff of exertion on her.  He looked her over, but saw no evidence of a fight.Something had obviously happened, though.  “What’s going on up there?”

“Your demigod is making a mess.  A few tunnels collapsed.Don’t worry about it,” she told him briskly, a hint of annoyance--obviously not aimed at him--in her voice.

Another series of hammering blows shook the earth above them.

Aiata sighed, looking up up towards the noise.  “I’m afraid we’re just going to have to deal with it for now.  He’s not leaving.”

He could easily read the frustration in her face as she rested her head down on her pincers and closed her eyes.  She must have tried to send Maui off, but had clearly been unsuccessful.But Tamatoa was just glad she’d made it back in one piece.

He laid his head down as well, then wrapped his antennae around hers.  Her eyes slit open again for a moment and she gave him a small smile in response before closing them again.

There was little else to be said and even less to be done.

So, together, the two crabs tried to tune out the chorus of thunderous noise and get what sleep they could.

\---

Maui moved from spot to spot throughout the morning and early afternoon, continuing his work of collapsing tunnels. Each time the earth caved beneath him, he’d peer in and look around - but he found no indication of the two monster crabs. The exertion dulled his anger, muted the rage, but they were like embers embedded in his chest, ready to flare back up at any provocation.

Eventually, he paused to rest.

He found some fruit and sat eating it in some shade, and contemplated. This was not a good long-term plan, simply because it was likely to _take_ entirely too much time. Maui had no idea just how big the cave system must be, but he suspected _huge._ The tunnel he had explored, what felt so long ago now, and the one that Tamatoa had lured his down into were close together, but Aiata had earlier appeared from yet another. He wasn’t _far_ from the bluffs right now, but he wasn’t all that close, either.

He couldn’t collapse the whole area. It would be a waste of time and effort. Nor could he go through those caves again: his foes were too canny, too strong. Even with Tamatoa injured, delving into those dark depths was not an endeavor Maui was willing to risk.

But they had to come out eventually.

They hunted out here on the surface. If needed, they would fish in the sea. Neither of those would be accomplished deep within the caves.

The solution, then, was to wait them out and catch them up here.

Maui liked this idea. He liked it a _lot._

They wouldn’t dare emerge until night, however. He would have to be alert and wary if he wanted any hope of catching them at it.

He finished his meal, then leaned back against the soft grass, pillowing his head on his arms, the handle of his fishhook mere inches from his hand. A nap would do the trick.

With a smug, self-assured grin, Maui closed his eyes.

\---

Far below, they took what rest they could despite the clatter of tunnels collapsing above.  As the noise tapered off in the afternoon, though, they finally slept more comfortably.

But with evening came a new problem.  They were out of food.The lizard monster Aiata had scavenged had lasted them a few days, but now they would have to hunt again.  With Tamatoa injured and still unable to get around on his own, it was up to Aiata.

Maui would be up there, though.  There was little doubt about that.  He may have abandoned his assault on the tunnels, but he was likely lying in wait somewhere for them to emerge.

Aiata was confident she could avoid him.  Her tunnels ran for miles.He couldn’t watch _all_ the exits, even if he knew where they all were--which he surely didn’t.

So, as night fell, she left the lower levels and headed for the surface.  She had to take a few detours where rockfalls had blocked the passages, but soon she was back in the upper tunnels once more.  Her first stop was near where she had last seen Maui.Keeping her lights extinguished, she angled a single eye through a crack opened to the surface by the demigod’s activities--just barely peeking through, likely invisible to any observer in the dark of night.

Ah, there he was.  Maui hadn’t gone too far from the tunnels he was familiar with.  Good.

As she ducked back down, a smug smirk played about her lips.  Turning away from where the demigod was waiting and watching, she headed east through the labyrinth.  It was a long walk through the twisting passageways, but soon she had reached a tunnel concealed near the border of her territory.  Far from the grassy bluffs by the sea, here the trees and forest began to thicken.She peered out cautiously, checking meticulously for the demigod despite confirming his position earlier.

As she expected, however, the coast was clear.  Maui was nowhere around, likely still waiting in vain by the torn up tunnels.  She couldn’t help but indulge in an amused giggle, imagining the pompous ass of a demigod’s frustration when he realized she wasn’t coming up.

However, despite her amusement, she turned to business quickly enough.  This wouldn’t be like their usual summer hunts, wildly jubilant as the two of them caroused through the forests in tandem and all creatures fled before them in fear.  Aiata felt a twinge of disappointment and resentment well up at that thought, realizing that they likely wouldn’t have _any_ hunts like that for the entire rest of the season this year thanks to Maui.  No, instead she had to hunt alone for them both now.And she would have to haul her kills back with her, too.  On top of all that, a mad demigod was out there somewhere and might turn up at any time.It was going to be difficult and risky.

So, she shook thoughts of frustration aside and got to work.  Slipping out of the tunnel, she vanished into the shadows of the forest and headed southeast towards where the game was more plentiful.  She’d make sure to bring back some of Tamatoa’s favorite foods.Besides needing to build up his strength, he could also use a little cheering up, too.

In the late hours of night, shortly before dawn, she returned to the tunnels.  She was tired, but her trip had been successful.Draped across her shell were several kills--some were two-legged prey, some were four.  It would only last them a day, but there simply weren’t enough hours in the night for her to find more than that.

She ducked back into the tunnels just as the first streaks of dawn lit the sky, painted across the horizon behind her in pale pinks and blues.  Leaving the surface behind, she made her way below to Tamatoa.She was gratified to see that he did indeed perk up some at the scent of the food she’d brought.

Together, they shared their meal in peace.  Afterwards, Aiata, worn out by the strenuous night of hunting, quickly settled herself on the ground and fell asleep once more.  She would need the rest, as she knew she would have to do the same thing all over again tomorrow night and _every_ night until Tamatoa was recovered enough to accompany her again.

She hoped that would be soon.

\---

Maui waited throughout the night.

Perched in one of the few trees out near the bluffs, he kept his eyes and ears open for any activity.

It was a long and quiet night. 

When dawn arrived, it brought with it a sense of disgruntlement. _Nothing_ had happened, save for a few individuals of mortal animals wandering by.

Perhaps it was too soon. Perhaps they weren’t ready, or in need, to come back up to the surface.

Once the sun was well into the sky, Maui relinquished his vigil. He was hungry and tired, and going back to the village would provide him with a hearty meal and his comfortable hammock.

Shortly after his arrival, he was met with familiar, predictable news: more mortals had gone missing last night.

Maui knew that there were _many_ monsters on this island, and most of them were inclined to hunt the humans. He had made only a small dent in their population before his attention had been diverted to _one_ in particular, and it was as likely as anything that some other monster, or several of them, were responsible.

Maui _also_ knew that, somehow, he had been evaded. Aiata, and possibly Tamatoa, had slipped beneath his notice.

The banked fire of anger once more bloomed into a consuming fury. He lashed out against the villagers, berating them for continuing their stupid, inane little quests. He was quickly left alone to stew in his own anger, and he took that time to eat - _heartily_ , his rage only making him hungrier - and return to his hammock.

But sleep eluded him, the same way as his enemy had. He thought through every permutation, every option, planning ahead on how to catch them out on the next night.

Let the crabs rest in their underground home. It would be of little comfort soon enough.

\---

The next evening, Aiata set out as she had before, sneaking carefully out the unwatched tunnel near the border.  She wasted little time, moving quickly and with purpose to the hunting grounds.Once there, she set to work immediately.

The expedition had been going smoothly thus far.  She had already made two kills, both of which were laid out across her shell.  The hunt was far from over, though.Tamatoa’s appetite was quite high as he healed, as was hers from the exertion of these longer hunts.  She’d need perhaps a little extra tonight if she could manage it.

The night was young, however, and she was still fresh and full of energy.  Even now, she had just picked up the trail of some humans and was beginning to stalk them through the forest.  They couldn’t be too far ahead judging by the scents on the ground.There were overlapping scents, too.It was likely more than one, which was definitely encouraging.  If she could bring down several at once, it would make her evening that much easier.

So, Aiata darkened her lights and started silently after them.  There was work to be done.

\---

Despite his admonishments earlier in the day, there were _still_ several people leaving tonight. Hopeful, bright-eyed fools they were, but Maui was certain they’d make tempting bait. He offered to join them, as an escort of sorts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they were happy to have a demigod along.

Even if he rode in the shape of a lizard on the shoulders of one of them.

He listened to their chatter as they wandered through the forests, each describing the boon they hoped to gain after tossing some token of treasure into a magical wishing-well deep in the forests of the island. Now that he was finally paying attention to just _why_ it was the mortals kept wandering out at night, Maui’s mind got stuck wondering what such a thing could be. He’d never heard of something quite like this before, but-

Absently, he flicked out his tongue, testing the air for scents; it had been a while since he’d last remembered to do so.

What he discovered, however, brought him to full attention. Crab. _Monster._ And very, very close. 

He propped himself up and listened, testing the air frequently, the mortals’ chatter falling quiet as they noticed his sudden activity. It was always fairly quiet out here in the forest, but now it was _silent,_ even the birds and insects sensing the clash to come and not wishing to draw attention to themselves.

Maui swivelled his head, testing the air again, and then he heard it: a quiet, nearly-imperceptible footfall just yards away, behind the group of humans. With a jump and a flash, Maui leapt off and transformed, standing between the hunter and her prey.

“Aiata,” he called into the dark. “So nice of you to drop by.”

\---

Aiata froze, just seconds away from lunging, and her antennae jerked up in alarm at the sudden, unexpected burst of light just ahead.  Then a familiar voice called out and sent a flash of chilly dread through her.

It was Maui.

The demigod had been shifted into something else, apparently, and she hadn’t been familiar enough with his scent to recognize it under the cover of whatever creature he had been disguised as.  He was _close_ , too.  She had gotten within striking distance of her quarry before he had revealed himself and now he was _far too close._

Her eyes darted quickly around, flicking over her surroundings and assessing them with a glance.  There was no cover here and the trees were widely spaced.This was no place to fight the demigod.  He would have every advantage and she none.

Tension rose, spreading like icy water through her.  Her limbs felt electrified by it, from the tip of each digit to the ends of her antennae.

She knew she only had one option.

Without a word, Aiata whirled around and _bolted_.

\---

The thing about giant creatures: no matter how quiet and stealthy they could be when sneaking up on someone, they were invariably noisy when they _fled._

Maui cackled as his enemy retreated. “Who’s the coward _now_?” he asked, and gave chase. The mortals he had accompanied were left behind, forgotten.

It was too dark to see properly; there were enough clouds in the sky that the moon and stars were mostly blocked, so Maui found himself at times dodging the occasional tree or rock or other obstacle as Aiata carved her path across the island.

But her haste made her easy to follow, nonetheless.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” he called out, sprinting along behind her, still too far back to attack. “It’s like you think I want to _hurt_ you or something.”

\---

His insults slid off her like water.  She had bigger problems than his _words_.  A chase like this was heavily weighted against her.  At her size, it would be hard to lose such a small opponent.  Nearly anywhere she went, he could go too.And while her long strides could take her fast, the supernaturally powered demigod could keep pace easily.  But the thought of what awaited her if he caught up to her was dire and it drove her on, the implications setting a fire in her limbs to move ever faster.

But it was a long, long way back to the tunnels.  She’d never make it that far in a straight chase.She was going to have to outsmart him if she wanted to survive this.

With that in mind, she set a new course.  A spray of sand and gravel was kicked up as she skidded into a rapid turn.  She angled into the hills, setting her sights on a distant ridge.As she ran, she aimed herself over large boulders and short trees.  These obstacles could be easily vaulted over with her long legs, but her pursuer would have to dodge around them.Any little hinderance, anything that might slow his pursuit, was an absolute necessity now.

She risked a glance behind her with one eye.  A glimpse of Maui’s face in the dark was a chilling sight.

Aiata ran on, as fast as she could.

\---

Maui was getting closer.

When Aiata turned suddenly, Maui couldn’t actually see the action. Instead he was met with a spray of sand to his face and a change in direction of the sound of her retreat. Annoyed, he wiped the grit from his eyes and turned to follow, but even that annoyance was short-lived as he gave chase.

Closer, closer.

It wasn’t that he held anything in particular against Aiata. She was a monster and he would treat her like other monsters, given any different situation. Nothing personal. But she was _helping_ Tamatoa, who had _personally_ offended him… and that meant Maui had to give her special attention.

All he had to do was get closer….

He was close enough now, Maui leapt off the ground in a high arc, aiming to land atop her shell. However, in the dark, he had misjudged the distance; the clouds parted enough that he could see where he would land insead, so he spun into a landing right behind her, hitting the ground with a great blow of his hook and setting the earth to shaking all around. He did not move for a moment, knowing how hard it was to keep one’s balance, waiting for Aiata to stumble and fall….

\---

The impact, frighteningly close behind, sent a shockwave racing out under Aiata.  Between one step and the next, the ground leapt out from under her legs.She did stumble, but with four walking legs to compensate with, she thankfully kept her balance and remained upright. 

But Maui was dangerously close now and the ridge, her target, was still far ahead. 

She pivoted, sliding sideways with her forward momentum and bracing her left legs, now facing forward, into the dirt.  Then, she swung her claw around in a lightning fast, sweeping arc towards the demigod behind her.At the same time, she let her bioluminescence flare, bright as she could manage, aiming to disorient and push Maui back so she could gain enough space to run on. 

\---

There was just enough light that Maui could make out the broader motions of Aiata’s maneuver, but the sudden flare of bioluminescence caught him off guard. _Stupid,_ he chastised himself, halfway through swinging his hook back up to block her blow. He kneeled there after, stunned and dazzled for a long moment, while Aiata wheeled back around and continued off again, her lights going back to dark. He growled, blinking furiously to rid his eyes of their stars even as he got himself to his feet.

Maui started running again, following the sounds she made. She wasn’t _loud,_ even now, but Maui could make out just enough to trace her steps.

He had lost a lot of ground there, however.

Anger flushed back through him, but it served as motivation. Maui pushed himself harder, ran faster, and drew ever closer.

\---

It was a small relief when Maui fell back, but she still had a ways to go.  She pressed on, running flat out across the open ground where the trees thinned out.  They were getting closer to the hills now.She could make out the faint silhouette of the ridge, rocky and jagged, in the distance.

As she sped on, one of the two kills on her shell began to slip—jostled by her fast turn.  She _couldn’t_ lose those, particularly not now.  They _needed_ that food.   _Tamatoa_ needed it.  So she paused for a brief second, just long enough to reach back and adjust its position so it wouldn’t fall.  It cost her valuable distance on Maui, but it was imperative that she bring back _something_.

Once it was safely secured again, she leapt back up to speed and hurried on along her path.  Even so, she could hear the demigod gaining on her again.But she just had to make it a bit further, she just had to make it to the ridge.

She just had to keep going.

\---

The pause in the sounds he was following made Maui suspect another incoming swipe, or even attack, so he brought his hook up, ready to parry even as he ran on.

Nothing happened, however, and a moment later the sounds of escape continued.

Had she paused to set a trap? In that short a time?

Unlikely; Maui shoved the thought aside and focused on getting even closer.

Sweat was just starting to break out on his skin from the effort, and it felt wonderful. The exertion of this chase was almost as exciting as the thrill of battle. Almost. Except that she kept _running away._

Maui needed longer legs if he wanted to catch up.

In another flash, he had taken his newest shape: that of a giant monster crab. _Takes one to catch one, maybe,_ he thought, and with great strides barreled forward towards Aiata.

And, finally, Maui was _there._

He reached out with his pincers, large appendages he was admittedly still learning how to use, and managed to grasp her around her rear leg-

\---

The flash of light behind her caught Aiata’s eye and she glanced back—

Only to see a _massive_ monster crab _right behind her_.  Maui’s crab shape was warped distortion of Tamatoa’s appearance, but larger.  No, it was worse than a distortion. It was a _mockery_.

But there was little time to get angry about it. Before she could react, he was upon her and yanking her rear leg out from under her.  She felt a flash of fear when his claws closed around her leg, knowing all too well what he had done to Tamatoa.But in the face of that fear, she didn’t flinch—even as she was jerked back and lost her footing and slammed down into the dirt.

Aiata had dealt with more than her fair share of pushy, aggressive male crabs in her long life.  She knew just how to handle this. 

\---

Maui’s grab successfully brought Aiata to the ground, and victory thrilled through him. Going too fast to stop, a few more steps brought him over Aiata, towering over her as she sprawled. He raised his other claw high, ready to slam it down into the soft flesh of her neck-

\---

The second she hit the ground, Aiata pushed hard into the dirt with her legs, twisting her own body around just enough to reach the demigod-turned-crab who was moving swiftly over her.  Her claws whipped up, even as Maui raised his to bring down upon her.With pinpoint accuracy, she clamped down on the front lip of his shell with one claw and pulled _down_ \--making a fulcrum of herself and using his momentum against him.  The other found a spot just behind his claws on his underside and pushed _up_ and _forward_.   It was a maneuver she’d used before and it served her well once again.

With all of Maui’s forward energy behind him, there was no stopping what came next.  The larger crab flipped over her, letting go of her leg as he flew overhead, and slammed with a thunderous crash into the ground.  The very earth shook from the impact.

Aiata leapt to her feet in an instant, her face contorted into a ferocious snarl and her bioluminescence blazing bright.  Without hesitation and while the demigod was stunned on his back, she hammered a claw down into the soft place where his abdomen joined the rest of his body.  All her strength was behind the blow, shrewdly aimed to produce as much pain as possible.She knew quite well where to hit another crab in a fight.

Then she reined her lights back in, checked to make sure her kills were still secure on her shell, and sprinted on.  She had only seconds before he recovered enough to take on some other form and resume the attack.

But the ridge was just up ahead.  She was nearly there.Just a bit farther.

\---

-only to find himself suddenly airborne. Every single anger-fueled, vengeful and anticipatory emotion was switched off for the space of two seconds as Maui was flipped, hit the ground with a jarring impact, and was punched below the metaphorical belt.

Whoa.

Then a snarl blossomed on his face: this crab was smart and _canny_ and Maui was going to have to actually think, and think _intelligently,_ if he wanted to actually _defeat_ her.

He let go of his transformation and winced at the echoing tenderness in a _highly_ sensitive area, before taking on another, trusted shape: his hawk form.

It was still terribly dark, and as sharp as his hawk-vision was during the day, it was little better than his own, regular sight at night. However, being airborne gave Maui two advantages over running along on the ground: speed and height.

If Maui could find her and catch up… well, Tamatoa had gotten _lucky_ when Maui had pulled this maneuver on him. Aiata would unlikely fair so well.

Flapping hard to gain altitude, Maui began searching for any visual sign of the giant crab. He could still hear her, could ascertain her general direction, but could not pinpoint her.

Even so, he was getting closer.

\---

There!  There was the ridge!

Aiata leapt up it, scaling the rocks with great, reaching strides of her long legs.  She flashed over the top, darkly silhouetted by the clouded moonlight for the barest of moments as she passed over it.  She was getting tired now, but a quick glance down into the deep, bowl-like crater on the other side of the ridge gave her hope and she kept pushing herself just a little farther.  Barely highlighted in the faint light, she could see hundreds of shadowed hollows carved into the steep stone walls.

This was the place.

There was no sound of Maui behind her nor any scent of him at her heels, but she was under no illusions that he’d abandoned the chase.  He was in some other, quieter shape, but what she didn’t know.It didn’t matter, she was where she needed to be.And while she couldn’t hear Maui, she _could_ detect a confused chorus of high-pitched, nearly silent, even to her, vibrations against her antennae.  Perfect.

She shoved off the ridge top and slid down the slope, moving fast towards the floor of the rocky bowl.

\---

There she was.

Anger still licked at Maui’s insides, and he pivoted to catch up to her, but caution rose up: climbing a ridge was not generally a sound escape plan. Aiata was up to something.

_Whatever_ , he thought. She was still on the surface and not hiding in her tunnels; anything else, Maui could manage.

He soared overhead just as the giant crab hit the bottom of the slope on the other side. He could just make her out, even now, so he’d have to aim carefully for the next part - Maui doubted he’d be able to see her move once he switched back.

Luckily, he was a big man, and he fell pretty fast.

He transformed back to his human skin, and in the moment that he hovered, he cracked the bones in his neck, stretching out the muscles and loosening up.

It was time.

Silently, Maui fell.

\---

The instant Aiata hit the floor of the crater, she caught a glimpse of a blue flash above her.  The demigod was just overhead and had shifted again.She was where she needed to be, but this was going to be _close_.  Maui would drop upon her any moment now.

Skidding to a stop in the center of the bowl, she lifted her claws high, then _slammed_ them down into the earth with all of her strength.  The rocky walls of the crater, hemmed in close around her, rattled with violence of the impact.  Just as her claws struck the ground, she set her bioluminescence loose--a shining beacon in the dark.

Then came the screeching.

High, shrill, and piercingly intense, the shrieking chorus echoed from every single one of the hollows set into the crater walls.  The nearly ultrasonic roar of noise vibrated painfully against her antennae.From out of the honeycomb of caverns, they came in droves:

Bats.  Giant, eight-eyed bats.

They swarmed out, furious at being disturbed.  The flapping of their enormous wings created a booming counterpoint to the high whine of their vocalizations.

Spiralling out of their holes and into the air, they sought out any suitable target to take out their anger upon.   _Any_ target would do.

Aiata didn’t wait around to become that target.  She darkened her lights seconds after letting them glow to life, then bolted for a narrow break in the crater walls, an outlet where lava had once flowed forth.

Behind her, she left a chaos of enraged bat monsters for Maui to contend with.

\---

As Maui fell, Aiata flashed her bioluminescence briefly, and he saw her strike the ground with her claws. _Definitely_ up to something, but what?

A long moment later Maui was nearly to the ground, and another sound reached his ears over the rushing of the air as he fell. What-?

Then he was beset on all sides.

He hit the ground in a tangle, fending off the monstrous bats that were _entirely_ too happy to set themselves upon him. They were relatively small and weak, but there were a _lot_ of them.

And Aiata was gone.

A frustrated roar escaped him. The bats were too thick, even as he slashed his hook through them again and again, for him to make more than a foot of forward progress at a time. They bit and scratched and screamed at him, and while the wounds were nothing to Maui, the loss of his quarry was a blow to his pride and the angry bloodlust that fueled it.

After several long minutes of furious swiping and slashing, Maui finally settled his mind. Anger still simmered, but he shoved logical thought back into place. 

Okay then. Time to move on to the next plan. _After_ he broke free of this plague of bats.

\---

Aiata didn’t look back, didn’t turn around, as she fled from the distraction she’d set out for Maui.  Nevertheless, it became clear after some distance that the demigod wasn’t following her any longer.It was a small relief, but she didn’t leave anything to chance.  Her pace slowed from its breakneck speed, but she still hurried on with great haste back to her tunnels.Only once she was safely within them again did she stop to rest.

Lingering just inside the tunnel’s entryway, Aiata felt her legs tremble slightly beneath her.  She was utterly exhausted.Hunting was strenuous enough activity on its own, particularly hunting on her own for them both, but this was far worse than just that.  She had started out with energy to spare, but after leading Maui on a chase spanning multiple territories, Aiata had used all that energy up and then some.Worse still, she had little to show for it.

Tired and fatigued, she glanced back at her shell.  Despite the rough journey, she had managed to keep both of the two kills she had already made before encountering Maui.  It was of small comfort, however.That was barely enough for Tamatoa alone.Two was meager, but sufficient.Three would have been a more normal ration.  But with Tama still healing, four would have been ideal.And that was to say nothing of what Aiata herself needed.

Her jaw set with muted anger, Aiata silently cursed the demigod who had caused all of this.  Something had to be _done_.  And _soon_ , before Maui killed them all.

But first, there were other things to address.  She took a moment to center herself, then started deeper into the tunnels to where Tamatoa was waiting.

\---

Tamatoa was half asleep, sprawled uncomfortably on the earthen floor of their deep chamber, when he heard Aiata’s steps approaching.  That’s odd, he mused.She was back far earlier than he had expected.

One look at her face and one whiff of her scent as she appeared in the cavern was enough to know something was wrong.  She met his eyes strongly and steadily, but Tamatoa could see the dull anger burning in them and the heavy weariness buried behind even that resolute front.

With a hard, thin smile, she pulled the carcasses of two humans down from her shell and set them before him.  “Here, eat,” she instructed.

The smell was tantalizing and he was _very_ hungry, so he pulled them close right away.  It wasn’t much, though.He hesitated, then glanced up to see what else she’d caught, but she was already settling on the ground, her movements slow and heavy as she laid down.  Tamatoa realized quickly that there _was_ nothing else.  Following on the heels of that realization was another troubling one:  Aiata had brought back nothing for herself.

He knew without asking that Maui was to blame.  His blood surged, rising with his anger.But at the same time, fear swam up through him--fear of Maui, fear for himself, and fear for Aiata as well.  Pain--a manifestation of those fears made real--rose back to the forefront of his consciousness, spidering out from his mangled leg to _remind_ him of just what was at stake and of just how vulnerable he was.

That chilly fear warred with heated anger and left him paralyzed with inaction.

“Tama,” Aiata’s voice broke sharply through his spiralling thoughts.  “ _Eat_.”

He shook his thoughts back into the dark corners, where they would lurk quietly until later.  He looked at the meat she’d brought, then back up at her.“What about you?”

One strong claw waved him off.  “I’m going to rest a bit, then go back out for more,” she told him, her voice tired but still maintaining an air of confidence.  Then, her eyes slid closed and she let her antennae drape lightly across his shell.

His gaze lingered on her, laden with both affection and worry, as she slept.  If not for Aiata, he’d likely be dead--either a quick death by Maui’s hand or a slow one by starvation.  Tamatoa recognized that he was incredibly fortunate to have her by his side in this.But she was carrying the weight for them both now and that couldn’t last.  He knew well enough now that Maui was not an enemy that could be defeated by one crab alone.Continuing to face him one-on-one, whether it was himself or Aiata, was a fatal game that could only end badly.

The fear, which now lurked ever-present at the peripherals since the moment Maui had flipped him and torn his leg off, began to creep back in again to torment him.

Tamatoa looked again at Aiata, beautiful in her strength, powerful and _determined_.  His fear was strong, but he _couldn’t_ leave her to deal with _his_ problem alone.  That thought bolstered him and helped push back that fear by small degrees.

Tentatively, he flexed the stump of his severed leg.  It was still vibrantly painful and it was hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that half of it was simply _gone_.  He could still _feel_ it, a persistent aching itch that wouldn’t go away.  Every time he tried to stand, he found himself reaching out with a leg that wasn’t there and falling once again.

Well, he would try again tonight.  He was going to _have_ to.

_But first_ , he thought as he reached for one of Aiata’s kills, _dinner and rest_.

\---

There were barely a few hours left in the evening when Aiata awoke from her nap.  She glanced over at Tamatoa.He was asleep, having finished off his meal as instructed.  He had made short work of it, too; there wasn’t a single scrap of flesh or drop of blood to be found anywhere.  Clearly, he’d been hungry.Well, she was terribly hungry, too.

A little rest had at least refreshed her enough to set back out and try again, though.  She arose quietly, as to not disturb Tamatoa, and stretched her legs, considering what to do next.  Hunting again in the forests near the human settlement was not a good idea tonight.Maui had likely escaped the bats by now and would be a threat again.  She contemplated returning to the crater to collect any bats the demigod had slaughtered, but Maui might still be waiting for her to return and she couldn’t risk it again.

She’d try a different tack, this time.

Treading softly, she took a westward tunnel towards the other side of her territory.  She’d make her way down to the sea and try to find food there.Fishing wasn’t her specialty, by any measure.  The slow pace was frustrating and the one accessible outlet to the sea in her cliff-dominated territory didn’t provide the bounty of food that the sea did elsewhere.  Tamatoa was a far better fishercrab than herself, to be perfectly honest, even if he didn’t prefer the taste of fish.

Aiata rather liked fish, though.  In the later parts of the summer, they would travel to Tamatoa’s territory to finish out the season and he would pamper her, catching her fish after fish while she relaxed on the beach in the moonlight and tended to her eggs.  She smiled fondly at the memory, a bright spot despite their world coming down around them now.

Reluctantly, she turned her thoughts back to business.  The tunnel sloped downward now and she could smell the sea ahead.  Within moments she was standing on a tiny, rocky beach--only barely big enough for her to move around on.  High cliff walls of dark volcanic rock rose around the small cove, protecting it from view.Seaweed swirled in the eddies, along with other flotsam and jetsam that the currents around the island would deposit in this miniscule bight, tucked away on the coast.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with the first rays of dawn.  Resolved, Aiata stepped into the warm water and waited for the fish to circle within reach.

\---

Maui stood heaving for breath as dawn crested over the island, the shadows of the crater in which he stood rapidly shrinking. The carcasses of dozens, _hundreds_ of eight-eyed bats were strewn across the ground around him, and their blood was sprayed everywhere, including across his body.

Maui’s face was placid, and as still as stone.

None of his usual monster-hunting tactics had proven effective against Tamatoa and Aiata. Tamatoa, on his own, Maui had been able to bully and manipulate for a long time, and, Maui realized now, that had lured him into a false sense of complacency.  Up until Tamatoa had refused him, Maui had believed that the crab would more-or-less willingly defer to him. He had his pride, of course, and Maui had pushed too hard; if that had not been the cause of this rift, it had certainly hastened it.

Then there was Aiata.

She was _definitely_ the smarter of the two, and Maui had been a fool to assume she would be anything less. 

Maui was a demigod of the wind and sea. He hunted monsters, and assisted mortals when they asked. He was accustomed to using his strength, speed, and shape-shifting to accomplish his tasks. He was a clever demigod, a trickster at heart, but certainly no tactician. And while he was accomplished, those skills were not enough for this situation.

Before him were two paths: He could leave the chase, ignore the many insults recently delivered to him by these two foes, and continue his usual path of monster slaying before moving on to the next island. It was not too late to befriend a mortal at the village and groom them into taking on their role in his games. It was the path of least resistance.

The other way was new; difficult, but rewarding. Abandon his rage, certainly, and spend the energy creating a foolproof plan for _revenge._ Take his time, and plan properly, and create contingencies. He could no longer _react_ \- he had to prove himself proactive. Maui needed a _real_ plan.

When the rays of the sun finally touched his skin, Maui took a deep, calming breath. He assumed his hawk shape, and returned to the village.

He had some thinking to do.

\---

The problem with being a disembodied head, Tuahangata reflected, was that you had a complete lack of agency. No legs to carry you away from a disagreeable situation. No hands to fend anything off. And, floating here in the water, there was nothing that could understand even his words.

It was beyond frustrating, to put it lightly. More like _horrifying,_ if he were to speak candidly. Which, in all fairness, he _could not do,_ mouth and nose and throat filled with seawater, leaving him suffering from the constant sensation of drowning.

It had been thirteen days since Tuahangata had awoken, just a head floating in the sea. He was unsure how long he’d been unconscious, however; how long ago had he fought Maui and the monster? He had no way of knowing.

Thirteen days, and he was already sick to death of it. He wanted air! He wanted the sky! He wanted he local wildlife to leave him alone!

So when the currents finally washed him into a small inlet, a sense of relief rose in his mind. Something _new._ Sitting on the sand would at least mean he wasn’t swallowed by any sharks again.

The water grew shallower beneath him, and when his face rolled back up, Tuahangata made out a large shape against the sun. A large shape that he _recognized._

The relief drained away as quickly as it had come. Not _again!_ He had had enough of monster crabs for an immortal lifetime, thank you _very_ much.

\---

The fishing wasn’t fabulous this morning, but Aiata had caught a few large parrotfish and a nicely sized wrasse for her efforts.  She’d already eaten the parrotfish, just to hold her over so she could keep at it.While they were tasty, it wasn’t much of a meal.  She’d have to keep fishing for more.But then something caught her eye, bobbing in the water amid scraps of seaweed and bits of floating coconut fiber.

It was a human head.

She squinted at it, curious.  Where was the _rest_ of it?  Human heads didn’t tend to just float up on the beach around here.  Monsters weren’t typically wasteful like that and the humans had their own rituals for dealing with their dead.  But regardless, meat was meat.She reached down with a claw, grabbed it by the hair, and plucked it from the water, then brought it up to her eye for closer inspection.

\---

Tuahangata’s eyes widened as his hair pulled taut and he was lifted _up_ and _out_ of the water. But relief could find no foothold as a moment later he was left staring into a gigantic eyeball that was bigger than what was left of him.

Well. How _rude._

_“Put me down,_ you foul-!” A stream of unsavory terms and expletives fled from Tuahangata’s mouth, a litany far removed from his usual calm, careful language choices. However, given Tuahangata’s recent circumstances, he felt himself justified this time around.

Besides, his words were the only weapon he had left, and he was _absolutely_ going to use them against the monster that had helped put him into this state.

\---

Aiata’s enormous eyes widened, startled as her unusual catch began _shouting_ at her with a tirade of foul obscenities, and she immediately dropped the suddenly far-too-animated severed head.  It landed with a loud splash back in the water, cursing all the way down.

She stepped back and eyed it with deep suspicion as it bobbed in the water once more.  When it didn’t leap up on its own, she poked at it with a claw.It wasn’t a gentle poke, either.

Severed heads didn’t just _talk_ , much less howl curses.  What on earth was going _on_ on this island?

\---

Tuahangata was still cursing as he splashed back into the sea and water immediately flooded into his mouth. Oh, not _again!_ Exasperation warred with fury and together they overrode any fear he felt at being _back_ in the water.

So he was _still_ cursing as he bobbed back to the surface, and snarled indignantly when the monster _poked_ him.

“Don’t _do_ that! Maui at least had the decency to _go away,_ why must you _persist_ in this humiliation?!”

\---

“Maui?”

_That_ got Aiata’s attention.  The mention of the demigod’s name instantly overrode whatever trepidation she felt about a cursing, and possibly cursed, head.  She snatched it right back out of the water, yanking it up by the hair none too gently.Bringing it once again up to eye-level, she glared keenly at it.

“What’s this about _Maui?_ ” she demanded, giving the head a little bounce for emphasis.

\---

Being grabbed up - again - by the hair _would_ have hurt if there’d been much weight hanging from it; as it was, Tuahangata barely felt discomfort. He scowled at the monster, once more holding him up as though he were some exotic oddity, trying to bully its way around him. 

“You were there!” he hissed. “ _Maui_ , my fellow demigod, whom you helped to betray me? The vile oath-traitor who, instead of protecting mankind from monsters, is actively _collaborating_ with them? Don’t act like you don’t know!”

If he could have kicked at the claw holding him aloft, he would have. As it was, Tuahangata settled for raising an eyebrow.

\---

Aiata blinked, realization beginning to take hold.  It all came together quickly.Clearly, this _head_ thought _she_ was Tamatoa.  And Tama had told her about the _other_ demigod he had fought against with Maui.  But Tama had said--

“You’re supposed to be _dead_.  How are you _talking?_  And where is the _rest_ of you?”

She didn’t bother to correct him yet on her identity.  No sense in giving him any information, after all.

\---

Tuahangata couldn’t help it - he laughed at the absurdity of it all.

“Pff! I’m a _demigod!_ There is no way to kill me; not even, apparently, by beheading.” He wanted to shrug, but found that a rather impossible task, given the circumstances.

Then he sobered up, and cast his eyes mournfully out to the distance over the crab’s shell. “As for the rest of me… well, if you don’t know, Maui must have dragged my body off somewhere and done unspeakable things to it. I shudder to think what twistedly creative punishment he dealt upon it; at least, I _would_ shudder, if my body were still _attached.”_

He rolled his eyes back to the monster and glared. “Which it _isn’t,_ no thanks to _you.”_

\---

The head’s words fell like stones upon her and she stared in growing horror as the remnants of the demigod continued to gripe and complain.  Her own thoughts whirled around the crux of what he had said:a demigod _couldn’t be killed._

No, no that couldn’t be true.   _No_.

But she was holding the proof of it.  The living, whining severed head was devastating evidence to back up its otherwise ridiculous claims.

She fell silent for a long moment, smothered under the crushing weight of this information pressing upon her.  If Maui couldn’t be killed, they were in serious trouble.He could simply keep hammering at them until they made a mistake.  There would be no way to stop him.Dread gripped at her, but she refused to cave in to it.

Then she looked at this miserable, waterlogged head.  She ignored, again, his mistaking her for Tama.Instead, she gave him a fierce glare and another jostling shake.  She wanted to know more and she wanted to know _now_.  “Does _Maui_ know that demigods can’t be killed?”

\---

“Of course he knows that- stop shaking me!” Tuahangata groused. “He’s a demigod too, we _all_ know that. Maui’s suffered more than his fair share of mortal injuries, too; he’s been burned, he’s broken his back several times - doing stupid things, of course - … why, once Pele stabbed him in the heart, and he was down for _days_ after that.” It had been an absolutely stupid, immature trick he had tried back then, as well. Pele had been less than amused, and Maui had been fairly scolded.

And Tuahangata’s island had paid the price.

He shook those thoughts away. Refocusing on the here and now, the disembodied demigod became curious. Why would Maui’s ally look so disheartened, so desperate to know about this?

“Why do you ask?”

\---

If anything this was _more_ disheartening and she couldn’t keep the look of growing horror off her face as the demigod’s head went on.

Her eyes flicked back to the tunnels briefly, then back to the head.  She had to tell Tama.This was bad.They were in real trouble now.

She ignored his question, debating what to do with this head.  Her first thought was to _get rid of it_.  And she went as far as to pull her claw back, intending to fling it back out to sea.  Then she looked at the head again and thought better of it.Clearly this piece of leftover demigod didn’t have any love for Maui.  Perhaps she could get some information out of him.

Her eyes turned hard.  “You’re coming with me,” she coldly informed the head.

Fishing would have to wait.  She collected the enormous, colorful wrasse she had caught and put it up on her shell.  Then, the talking head still dangling from her claw, she started back into the tunnels.

\---

Tuahangata had thought that there was nothing left to cause fear in him. His body was gone, he was _powerless;_ he had nothing left to lose.

Tuahangata had thought incorrectly.

When the crab raised its claw, obviously preparing to toss him back out to sea, a bolt of dread coursed through… well, what was left of him. He had just gotten _out_ of the ocean, he wasn’t ready to go back _in!_

But then… then he was lowered back down. Spared that ignominious fate of bobbing with the fishes and sputtering saltwater, at least for now.

“Oh, I am, am I?” he asked. “And where, pray tell, are we going?” He tried to keep his voice calm, but a litany was running through his mind: _Not back to Maui, not back to Maui, not back in the water, not back to Maui…_

Then the darkness of the tunnels enveloped them, and he squinted. They were going under the earth? This was new. What could possibly be down here?

\---

There wasn’t much of this demigod remaining, but even so she could still smell an extremely faint, yet still barely detectable, whiff of _fear_ emanating from the noisy head.  She smirked in the darkness, taking what small victory she could in this wasteland of terrible news.

As she plunged into the deeper tunnels, her bioluminescence pulsed softly to light.  She turned a glowing smile onto her captive.“You’ll find out soon enough,” she told him cryptically.

Then she fell silent, picking her way through the twisting labyrinth.

\---

Tuahangata was too busy staring to pay much heed to the monster's attempt at foreboding words. 

This wasn't the same crab who'd attacked him alongside Maui.

The glowing markings were decidedly different from before, sharper and more wicked-looking. The voice, he realized, was not the same as before either, though they had admittedly exchanged few words, barely a conversation before devolving into taunting laughs and righteously furious roars.

If this was not the same creature who had attacked him, why was it so invested in Maui? Was it, perhaps, Maui’s enemy?

A small voice buried deep inside his mind, one mostly consumed with anger and hate and vengeance, whispered _the enemy of my enemy is my friend._

Tuahangata squashed that voice. He was better than that. They were _both_ his enemies, and he would do well to remember it.

The moment was over; he'd spent too long staring and thinking. Nonetheless, Tuahangata answered with a tone of irony, “I'm looking forward to it.”

\---

Aiata didn’t bother to respond to him, simply walking on through her tunnels.  Quickly enough, she reached her destination.

When she stepped back into their cavernous chamber, she was pleasantly surprised to see Tamatoa _standing_.  He was wobbly, his weight shifting precariously as he balanced on three legs, but he was _up_.  It was a _good_ sign and she looked at him with no small amount of relief.  That relief, however, did little to dispel the pall that the leftover demigod’s news had cast upon their situation.

She gave Tama a warm, encouraging smile just the same and received a toothy grin in return.  He looked terribly pleased with himself and Aiata would have liked to indulge him and not break his mood with bad news, but what she had to say couldn’t wait.  Nevertheless, he had finally gotten his legs under him and that was a good start.So she postponed the bad news for a brief moment and stepped close to greet him properly, twining her antennae with his.  She held that embrace for longer than usual, enjoying the feeling of his antennae against hers while she centered herself.

When they separated, she met his eyes frankly.  “Tama, I’m glad you’re up,” she started off steadily, but firmly and without equivocation.  There would be no softening this blow.“But you might want to sit back down for what I have to say.”

He gave her a quizzical look, quirking an eye in confusion.  “Uh, what?”

“I found _this_ in the sea.”  She held up the demigod’s severed head and gave it a bit of a shake, an unspoken prompt for the head introduce itself.

\---

Tuahangata observed silently as the two monstrous crabs greeted each other, letting the pieces fall into place. _There_ was the other crab, in even worse condition than he’d been in the last Tuahangata had seen him before Maui… had let his anger go to his head. It was more than scrapes and gashes: the monster was missing a whole leg. Tuahangata could guess the gist of what had happened.

When he was held aloft for presentation, he remained silent just long enough for recognition to flicker within the monster’s eyes. Only then did he speak.

“You tried to take him on too, didn’t you? Don’t you think you got a little _ahead_ of yourself?”

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes widened in shock.  That head was _talking_.  Worse, that head had belonged to the _other_ demigod, Tuahangata.  The one he and Maui had _killed_.

Or, apparently, had _not_ killed.

Tamatoa wobbled unsteadily, having difficulty keeping upright in the face of this cold surprise.  Rather than _fall_ down, though, he let himself slowly slide back to the ground.  Even then, he couldn’t drag his eyes away from the severed, but still animate, head.

At Tuahangata’s insulting words, Aiata gave the head a vicious shake to stem the tide.  Then he heard her voice, cutting through the fog of nameless fear that was rising back up again.  And Aiata’s voice, usually strong through any hardship, was filled with dismay.

“Demigods can’t be killed,” she said bleakly, giving a name to the fear he had dared not.

Tamatoa tore his eyes away from the severed head of Tuahangata and met Aiata’s gaze.  Buried in her glowing red and purple eyes, he saw his own fears echoed there. Aiata was _never_ afraid and to see her show it now... 

Utter, hopeless despair flooded through him.  “We’re so fucked.”

“Perhaps.”  But then he saw her expression harden.  She lifted Tuahangata’s head up again.“But first, I think this scrap of leftovers is going to need to start talking.”

\---

“Is that so?” Tuahangata asked dryly. These two obviously wanted input from him on what could be done against Maui. He didn’t even know what they would find helpful, but even aside from that, he wasn’t sure he was all that inclined to help, anyway. They were _monsters_ , and at least one of them he _knew_ had killed, defiled, and eaten humans before. He was certain that they both had.

On the other hand… that little voice, deep inside, was trying rather hard to get louder, to be acknowledged. He really was rather angry with Maui for doing this to him, and leaving him to suffer in the water, seemingly without end.

Oh, decisions, decisions….

“About what?”

\---

Tamatoa opened his mouth, but so thick was his despair that he had no idea where to even start.

“Well, for starters...” Aiata cut in instead, her voice smoothing out.  Tamatoa could see the shift, the subtle change in her eyes that heralded some form of plan taking shape.  He watched her keenly for cues.“How is it that you’re still able to speak, if—“She glanced at Tamatoa now, seeking confirmation of what she was about to say.  “—your body is missing?”

Tamatoa’s antennae perked, instantly catching on to what she was leading him to.  “It’s not _missing_ ,” he provided helpfully.  “ _Maui_ took it.”  He painted a pensive frown on his face.  “Didn’t look like he had anything good planned for it, either.”

His eyes flicked back to Aiata, who picked up the thread.

“Guess you were right,” she said, speaking to Tuahangata’s head.  “Maui probably _did_ do something awful to it.”  She looked thoughtful.“What happens to you now without it?”

Tamatoa suppressed a smile.  He loved watching Aiata work.

\---

“Well, at least you didn’t eat _that,_ ” Tuahangata returned, but his snideness fell a little flat in the wake of contemplating what Maui might possibly have done.

He worked his jaw for a moment, trying to think of an answer, trying to decide if he _should_ answer… but what was the harm in speculation? How bad could it be to speak with things who could actually talk back, after _weeks_ of drifting, drowning loneliness?

“I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “I don’t think this has ever happened to a demigod before.” He was silent for a moment longer. What _would_ happen to him? If left like this, he would be completely at the mercy of other things, like these monsters. He could try to leverage information, but to what end?

His anger simmered a little closer to the surface. Above all else, Maui added insult to injury by leaving him _helpless._ He, who was - had been - a _hero!_

But would he be any better than Maui if he colluded with monsters to seek revenge?

Tuahangata sighed. Floating alone in the water was horribly depressing, but much simpler.

\---

Tamatoa tried not to smirk.  He had _no_ sympathy for this overzealous demigod’s plight.  Not even a smidgen.Tuahangata had stabbed _right through_ Tamatoa’s claw and he didn’t forget that for even a moment.  Of course, that didn’t mean they couldn’t use it to establish some sort of concord with him, so long as it was beneficial to them.

“Sounds rough,” Aiata said, putting on a flawless mask of understanding.  “You might be stuck a leftover head _forever_.”

She smiled, her sharp, glowing markings curving against the darkness in a way that never failed to send a thrill through Tamatoa.

“That could be _really_ unpleasant, I imagine,” she went on, pleasantly enough but with with subtle implications of _just how_ unpleasant it could become.  Then she glanced back to Tamatoa, passing the conversation off to him next.

Tamatoa pulled his eyes away from Aiata to address Tuahangata’s head again.  “Maui _really_ left you in a bad spot.”  He looked away, idly gazing off as if in thought.  “And he’s out there getting away with it, too.Probably telling the humans all sorts of _lies_ about you.”

\---

That thought was troubling. Tuahangata’s own good name and reputation, smeared by Maui? But, surely, the mortals would never believe that. He had been an accomplished hero for far too long. Maui likely _would_ lie, of course, to explain Tuahangata’s absence. But… he _had_ been defeated. Nothing that Maui did or didn’t say would change the truth of that.

He pursed his lips.

Depression settled over him like a fine mist. So much for his high hopes when the larger crab had brought him down here.

He _really_ didn’t want to be just a head forever. But what could help with that? Or, perhaps, who?

If his body was found… could it be reattached, somehow?

Not that he trusted these two creatures to find it for him. The one sitting before him, the one he’d fought… _that_ one surely would find no reason to help him. And the idea was assuming his body could be recovered at all.

The monster was correct. Maui really had left him in a bad spot.

The anger flared… then went out. Tuahangata pouted, instead. But only for a moment.

There was no way he was going to come out ahead in this. The best he could hope for was to turn his enemies against each other. Bring them all down with him. If that was the case, then he had a role to play.

His brows furrowed, and his lips turned down. He summoned some of that anger back up, impotent though he knew it was.

“Fine. What is it you want to know?”

\---

Tamatoa jumped straight in, since Tuahangata’s head seemed to be complying at last.  In his enthusiasm, he didn’t notice Aiata’s slight frown.

“You’ve known Maui a long time, yeah?  Surely he’s got _some_ weaknesses,” he asked the head, charging right out of the gate.  “What can really _get_ to him?”

Then he recalled his suspicions, never fully confirmed but with plenty of evidence to back them up.  “And his hook!Where did it come from?Is _that_ the source of his powers?  Can _that_ be destroyed?”

Finally, Tamatoa could start getting some _answers_.

\---

Tuahangata openly smirked at the monster’s enthusiasm, but channelled the emotion into his answer.

“I am two hundred and four years older than him; I’ve known Maui the entire time he’s been a demigod, from the very moment the gods took him in after his mortal parents abandoned him. He does not have many weaknesses, to be sure, but he hates being reminded that he was changed _into_ a demigod, rather than intentionally created as one.” It was true enough, and it always made Maui angry, but the sort of cold, calculating anger that made him even more dangerous.

He shifted his eyes to glance back at the monster holding him. “I mentioned that time he was stabbed in the heart; truly, he couldn’t move for _days_ after that.” Of course, it had been a _goddess_ to do that to him, and the paralysis had been intended, Pele had later explained. Tuahangata doubted anything less than that would accomplish the same.

“Hmmm, and what else?” he asked himself, thoughtfully.

\---

Well, _that_ was new information!  Tamatoa quirked an eye higher than the other.  “Wait, wait, wait.You’re saying Maui didn’t _start_ as a demigod?  What was he before?”  He quirked the other eye, swapping sides as an amusing thought bubbled up.  “Are you saying he was _human_ before?”

Something about that just tickled Tamatoa pink and he couldn’t hide the malicious grin that spread across his face.

He opened his mouth to say something cutting, but Aiata spoke first.

“And the hook?” she prompted, not letting that part drop.  “What about that?”

In contrast to Tamatoa’s growing excitement, her face was held more neutrally and her voice more level, but there was no missing the calculating glint in her eyes.

\---

“Right, Maui’s fishhook,” Tuahangata tried to nod. What to say about that? What was enough of a balance of truth and assumption that would harm them both?

“Well, it does channel divine power, but it is not not the source of Maui’s own abilities. You’ve seen how strong he is, the hook has nothing to do with that.” Nor the fire, the wind, or the sea, and those were just what Tuahangata knew about. Maui might have other hidden abilities up his sleeve.

This next was a risk, but he felt it needed to be said to keep an anchor of truth in his words. “That hook _is_ the source of his shape-changing powers, though. You could say that transformation is the hook’s power, not Maui’s. But he wields the hook, so he wields that power.

“I think…” Did he? “...that the hook could, theoretically, be destroyed. I’m afraid I could only offer guesses as to how.” No, not really. The things he’d seen Maui pit that hook against…. Likely, only the thing that made it could unmake it. And good luck getting him to do _that._

\---

That was a mixed bag of answers.  While it was disheartening to know that Maui’s strength was his own, it still _did_ ring true with what Tamatoa had already observed of the hook and its transformative powers.

But Maui’s own strength alone had been more than enough to tear Tamatoa’s leg off.  A bolt of anxiety ran through him again at the thought, a splash of cold water dousing his building excitement.  He could still _feel_ the demigod’s hand on his leg, twisting it mercilessly.  The splintering agony as his exoskeleton had cracked still echoed through him.  Then there had been that white-hot pain as Maui’s hand had wrenched-- 

Aiata’s eyes flicked swiftly to his and her antennae twitched slightly, likely detecting the rising scent of his fear in the air.

Without hesitation, she quickly picked up the questioning, diverting attention back to herself and away from Tamatoa before that fear showed upon his face.

“Tell me about those transformation powers.  Can he shift into _anything?_  Is there a limit?” she asked, voice steady and unshakable.  “What else can he turn into?”

\---

“As far as I know, he can transform into anything.” Tuahangata would _kill_ for the ability to shrug right now. “Anything alive. What shapes have you seen?” he asked right back. “Shark, hawk, beetle: those are his favorites.”

\---

Aiata spoke again, sparing Tamatoa from having to.  “He was something small last night, something reptilian.  A lizard, maybe?”She scowled, anger flowing into her face.  “And then he turned into a crab like us.”

Tamatoa blinked, breaking out of his spiralling thoughts and looking up at Aiata in surprise.  She hadn’t told him that part.“Are you okay?” he blurted out, trying to force away the horrifying image of Maui chasing her down in the shape of a crab.  It was an image that filled him with both anger and fear and a primal fury that came from a deeper, more instinctive place.

But she flicked her antennae dismissively and flashed a wickedly toothy smile.  “I know _quite_ well how to deal with big, overbearing crabs.”  The smile curled into a smug smirk.“And _he_ makes a terrible crab, besides.”

Tamatoa still felt uneasy, the very _thought_ of Maui around Aiata in that shape unsettling him on every level--in ways he couldn’t fully describe even if he wanted to.  He suddenly decided that he didn’t want to be laying slumped on the ground anymore--down in the dirt, weak and vulnerable.With some effort, he struggled back up to stand.

Once he was back up, despite his wobbly balance, he fixed Tuahangata with as piercing a look as he could muster and got down to the meat of the matter.

“So how can we defeat him?  Surely there must be _some_ way?”

\---

Tuahangata watched, eyes flicking back and forth, as the two crabs exchanged their words and sentiments, taking in their expressions. It was a nice distraction from what he was trying not to think about: Maui had never, to his knowledge, transformed into a _monster_ before. This was further proof, then, of just how far Maui had fallen.

Despite himself, Tuahangata grieved. Maui _had_ been a hero, a _true_ hero, once upon a time. Now, he was no better than the creatures who held Tuahangata as good as captive.

His smile was strained, then, when he answered their next question, and he did not withhold any truth.

“Maui is as immortal as I, and his anger burns brightly. When set upon a course of action he will see it through, regardless of hindrances. He _can_ be delayed or put off, for a time, but, in the end…

“In the end, all you can do is run.”

\---

The words hit Tamatoa with the force of a rockslide.  He _had_ been delaying Maui, it was true.  He had been putting the demigod off for months now, but that was _all_ he had been doing.  Even when they had him cornered in the tunnels, though, he now realized, it was all in vain.  If Maui couldn’t be killed, if he could only be slowed for a brief time, they were _truly_ doomed.

How long before Maui caught Aiata out hunting and overpowered her?  How long before he overcame his reluctance and invaded their tunnels?  How long could they really keep this up?

He felt as if there was a crushing weight on his shell, bearing down upon him.  He could feel Maui’s steely fingers around his leg again.His leg was _gone_ and the feeling of those fingers _wouldn’t go away_.

Maui would hunt them down and kill them both.  He had seen the demigod kill, but this would be different.  Maui had said it himself, this was _personal_.  The demigod wouldn’t give them a _quick_ death, no.  It would be brutal.  Savage.Torturous.He would do things to Aiata.  He would make Tamatoa watch.There would be no mercy.

Pain arced through the mangled stump of his leg again and his other legs trembled and felt weak, numb.  Static, fuzzy and incoherent, seemed to sizzle through his antennae.

“We--” he started, but his words caught in his throat.

He looked up, trying to meet Aiata’s eyes, but the world seemed to swim before him as panic took control.

“He’s--” he tried again.  Then words broke loose in a rapid, babbling deluge.  “He’s going to kill us.He’ll hunt us down.He’ll come down here.  Like the krait.The mantis shrimp.Just more trophies.We can’t. _He’s going to kill us_.  Aiata...”

His words failed him again.  He swayed drunkenly.He reached out with a leg to steady himself, but all he could feel were _fingers_ clutching at a leg that was no longer there.  The world began to tilt as he started to fall.

And then it stopped.

Aiata was there, supporting his wounded side and holding him up.  A large, powerful claw helped ground him and her antennae brushed gently against his own, clearing away the static that had buzzed through them.

“Tama,” her voice--strong and clear--cut through the fog of terror and panic in an authoritative command.  “Look at me.Pull yourself together.”

His eyes met hers, burning brightly with crimson light.  It was familiar and comforting, pulling him back to firmer ground.  A little more of the terror was pushed back and away.

“Hey,” she said, gentler now that she had his attention.  “We’ll figure something out.”

“But...”

She wrapped her antennae more firmly around his.  “ _But,_ nothing.  We almost had him the other day,” she reminded him, “and we’ll do it again.”  She glanced at the severed head, still grasped in her other claw.Tamatoa had momentarily forgotten about the other demigod in his panic, but his gaze followed hers to it now.  “Maybe he’s never been defeated _before_ , but he’s never dealt with _us_ before, either.”

“He _can’t_ be killed, though,” Tamatoa bemoaned, misery threatening to rise again.

“Then we won’t _kill_ him,” Aiata replied, utterly resolute.  “We’ll find some _other_ way to get rid of him.”

“Some other way?  How?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted.  “But we’ll figure it out.”

She held his gaze and he found himself lost in those brilliant eyes.

“Trust me.”

Aiata smiled.

Tamatoa returned the smile, the haze clearing from his thoughts.  He _did_ trust her.  If she thought they could do this, then they could.  They’d do it together.

He murmured an assent and she smiled again.  It was a bit strained, but he could see the relief painted there too.

Then her antennae disengaged from his and she was helping him back down to the ground, carefully arranging him back on the earthen floor.

“We’ll worry about it tomorrow,” she told him briskly once he was settled.  “It’s late.”

It was, too.  It was likely close to noon out in the world above.  Aiata settled beside him, pulling a rather large fish off her shell and setting it between them.  Her presence, so close by, was a comfort in and of itself and he was grateful for it.But, he reflected, they weren’t alone now.

Tamatoa gestured with a claw at the disembodied head that she still held.  “What about him?”

Aiata glanced at Tuahangata’s head.  “He’s going to be our _guest_ for a while,” she said, a wry grin quirking her lip.  She set the head down delicately on the ground and addressed it directly.  “You don’t mind, do you?”

\---

Tuahangata watched again, silently, as he was ignored once more in favor of the crabs conversing amongst themselves. The one he had fought had, quite obviously, crossed to Maui’s bad side - a state they now held in common.

He was… a little taken aback by the range of emotions, the depth of care, that these creatures displayed. It was almost… dare he say it… humanlike. 

Tuahangata had fought countless monsters in his long, long life. Many of them had been cunningly intelligent. None that he had witnessed had ever cared about something more than they had cared for themselves.

He had never seen monsters in _love._

Of course, human _like_ was still decidedly different from _human,_ and Tuahangata was reminded of that when the bigger one set him down (finally!) on the stony floor of the cavern. In response to her question, he raised an eyebrow, his own flavor of _wry_ shining through.

“You know,” he answered, entirely deadpan, “my _heart_ is telling me no, but my _gut_ is telling me to roll with it. Pass some fish, I’m hungry.”

\---

Aiata quirked an eye at the leftover head’s self-deprecating puns.  “Have you tried listening to your _brain_ instead?” she quipped back, amused despite it all.  “But, no.You’re just a _head_ , you don’t need _food_.”

And she was famished, besides.  Half of this hundred pound humphead wrasse, plus the few small parrotfish she had caught earlier, was still not nearly enough for her.  And she could tell Tama was still hungry, too.There wasn’t any food to spare for freeloading heads.

She split half of the fish off for Tamatoa.  He looked down at it as she passed it to him, then back up at her.

“You’ve hardly eaten anything,” he murmured and slid it back over.  “You take it.”

They locked eyes again and there was silent understanding.  She accepted the fish back and ate it gratefully.It wasn’t much and she was left still very hungry, but it would tide her over partially until she could make another attempt at hunting tomorrow night.

Then she laid her head down, nestling just a little closer to Tamatoa, who did likewise.  She cut her eyes over to the demigod’s head once more.“Don’t go _running off_ now, leftovers,” she teased with a grin.

Then she let her antennae drape comfortably alongside Tamatoa’s and closed her eyes, allowing sleep to find her again.

\---

Tuahangata scoffed at the bigger crab’s verbal jab, but didn’t get a chance for another word in before the two of them settled down to sleep.

As their lights eased from a bright shine down to a dim glow, what remained of the demigod was left to observe… and reflect. And remember.

He felt much less need to sleep lately, most likely due to having no body that could grow weary; the hours crept by slowly. Bored as he was, he let the creatures rest. They were going to need it if they were going to go up against Maui.

He held no hope for their victory. He did not regret his misinformation, but even _if_ he’d given every answer straight and had been deliberately helpful… Maui was ruthless. Unkillable. The other demigod held to the oath of nonviolence against the mortal humans - could not, in fact, break that oath - but in every other way Maui had degenerated from what he had once been: a shining beacon of strength and goodwill, now a shadow, an echo, a murderous-

Tuahangata stewed in his thoughts while the crabs slept on.


	12. Chapter 12

It took the better part of the day for Maui to settle on his plan.

It took just  _over_  a day for him to evacuate the village.

There were many who refused to leave. Those whose families had lived here for generations. Those who were certain they could find their magic wishing well and get back alive. Unwilling to spend more time arguing with them, he allowed them to stay under strict orders: that hunt would  _wait_  until he had cleared the island of the most dangerous of monsters, and  _everybody_  stay within the village until his say-so. He could not guarantee their safety otherwise.

But many more  _did_  leave. Maui told them what they wanted to hear, the things that bent them to his plan, and they trusted him. How could a demigod steer them wrong?

However, the things he told the mortals were not the same things he was thinking. Maui was thinking only of his plan.

The first thing he needed to do was weaken his enemy. Cut off supplies, and they would grow desperate. Humans were no longer on the menu. Soon, nothing else would be either.

\---

Aiata awoke hungry, which was never an enjoyable way to wake up.  She was going to  _have_  to find adequate food today, there was no way around it.

Beside her, Tamatoa was still asleep, his muted colors flickering slightly and his face stiff and tense.  Ordinarily, she would have let him slumber on while she started off the evening, but he clearly wasn’t having a peaceful rest right now.

A gentle nudge from her shell was enough to wake him.  He turned sleep-heavy eyes up to look at her.  “Hrm?  Wha-?”

“Hey,” she whispered, brushing her antennae against his in an affectionate greeting.  “I’m going hunting.  If you feel up to it, keep working on moving around.”  She hated to push, but they  _needed_  him to get his legs under himself again--and soon.  She was under no illusions that his demigod would give them much time to rest.

Tamatoa gave her a drowsy smile, his antennae curling around hers as he murmured his agreement.

Aiata returned the smile, enjoying this brief moment of comfortable intimacy.  She couldn’t linger, though, much as she would prefer to.  There was work to be done.

So, she stood with some reluctance to begin her evening.  Stretching her legs out, she took a moment to get herself focused and get her mind in the game.  There was a strong likelihood that this could potentially be a  _very_  difficult night, particularly if the  _last_  evening was anything to go by.  Aiata already had a plan, however, and with any luck (something they had in shockingly short supply of late!) this might actually be easy.

Nevertheless, she had to prepare for the worst.

Tamatoa was quietly watching her as she got ready, his eyes now sharpening as the haze of sleep receded.  If not for the worry and lingering pain buried in his eyes, it might have been like any other summer evening.  Except he would not be joining her out there tonight.  Once again, this wouldn’t be a mutual, joyous celebration of the hunt.  Instead, she would be solo again and working for their very survival.

It cast a grim shadow over what should have been the most enjoyable time of the year.

She threw those dismal thoughts aside, however.  There was no time to mope.  Besides, Tama would probably be doing enough moping for the both of them while she was away, she thought with a small, wry smile.

With one final stretch of her limbs, Aiata was ready.

She stepped close to Tamatoa, crouching down to his level, and their antennae touched again, that familiar warmth passing between them.

“Be careful,” he said and there was no missing the faint undercurrent of fear in his voice.  “He’s out there somewhere.”

“I know, I will.”

Then she straightened, pulling away again with reluctance.  She flashed him a confident smile.  “See you soon.”

\---

Tamatoa watched her until she was out of sight, vanishing into the dark tunnels and heading towards the surface.  He couldn’t shake the worry, couldn’t shake the  _fear_  that Maui would find her out there.  He knew Aiata was capable, of course.  She was strong and smart and clever, but Maui was incredibly dangerous.  His thoughts drifted towards what he’d seen Maui do to that krait and--

_No_ , he couldn’t think about that.

He didn’t want her to have to carry the weight for them both, but they had such limited options.  They needed food, they needed supplies. 

And he needed to  _walk_.

With that in mind, he began to move.  Standing was easier now, Tamatoa had practiced enough that he was confident that he could get up without falling over again.  But he needed to walk, to run.  He would need to be able to  _fight_ , much though the notion sent fear spiralling through him.  This was life or death, though.  And he wanted to  _survive_.

Tamatoa braced his remaining legs against the ground and carefully lifted his bulk up off the ground.  There!  He was standing!

Now it was time for the hard part.  He took a moment to prepare himself, to focus on  _not_  using the missing leg.

Then he took a bold step forward.

And promptly crashed back down to the ground.

\---

Tuahangata allowed himself to be ignored as the larger crab stretched, said her goodbyes, and left. His silence permitted his continued observations, especially as several emotions flickered across the face of the monster he’d fought, what now seemed a lifetime ago.

He had noticed the grievous injury before, but now he really took it in. An injury like that would have laid any demigod flat, and quite likely proven fatal for any mortal; but the creature was up, standing, pride beaming forth across his face-

The small flare of unwitting admiration promptly guttered out as the monstrous crab crashed heavily back down. An amused snort escaped Tuahangata.

“I’d offer to lend a hand,” he called up, “but I’m afraid I’m a few short at the moment.”

\---

Tamatoa snarled a blistering oath as he hit the ground, face planting into the dirt.  The impact jarred the still very sore stump of his mangled leg, sending a spike of pain shooting through him.  Already, his enthusiasm for this exercise began to wither on the vine.

Then he heard the sarcastic quip and his eyes shot up from the dusty floor, glaring hotly.  He had nearly forgotten about the severed head of that  _other_  demigod, but he sure remembered him now.  Equal amounts of embarrassment and wounded pride welled up as he realized that he had a  _witness_  to his struggles.

“I’ve already been on the receiving end of your  _hand_ ,” he fired back.  He had those odd, pock-marked scars on his claw to prove it, too.  “And I’m quite glad you don’t have any left now.”

Unwilling to let himself be seen as weak, he pushed the pain in his leg away and shoved himself up again to stand.

\---

Tuahangata rolled his eyes. “Oh, what, feeling sore about our battles? Why? You  _won._  You didn’t lose a thing to me. No need to be so  _snippy.”  
_

He sniffed then, disdain more than a hint. “ _Maui,_  on the other hand…” He trailed off, and watched for the crab’s reaction.

\---

_Maui_.  

Tamatoa’s balance wobbled and suddenly he could  _feel_  those fingers around his missing leg again, sending a chilly flash of terror through him once more.  His blood ran cold.

Quickly, he tried to summon some anger to cover up the fear.

He glared again at the severed head, though it didn’t feel as fierce as he would have liked.  “Shut up,” he growled.

Defiantly, he tried again to take a step forward.  But too caught up in a whirl of fear and anger, he didn’t give it proper attention and immediately crashed to the ground again.

\---

Yes, there it was. The fear. Merely mentioning Maui’s name made the crab tremble and fall. Despite himself, Tuahangata sighed.

“You are going to need to defeat your fear of Maui before you can defeat the man himself. So he took your leg; get  _over_  it. I know somebody who lost quite a bit more to him than you did.”

Never mind that  _this particular monster_  had helped make that happen. And it was more than Tuahangata wanted to think about right now, how things could have been -  _should_  have been - different. That was all in the past, and it was best not to dwell on what-ifs and would-have-beens.

There was only  _now.  
_

“Your fear will do you no favors. Maui has already hurt you; if you succeed in defeating him, he will never be able to do so again. Focus on that, and you will come out ahead.”

\---

Tamatoa grit his teeth, trying to blot out the pain arcing through him again as he lay in the dust.  He didn’t try to get up again just yet.

“ _You_  said he couldn’t  _be_  defeated.  Now you’re trying to give me  _advice?_ ”  He narrowed his eyes.  “Why?”

\---

Why, indeed? Nothing made any sense anymore, Tuahangata reflected, when demigods turned on each other.

“Let’s just say I’ve been given a new  _perspective,”_  he replied. “I do not recant my words, however, I do believe your partner interpreted them best: he cannot be  _killed._  He can, however, be rendered impotent. I believe I serve as an excellent example of that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “But  _moping_  on the  _floor_  will do nothing to accomplish that.”

\---

Tamatoa glared.  He wasn’t  _moping!_   He was... was…  _brooding_.  That had a much better sound to it.

Nevertheless, his anger and frustration and misery were pushed back as something Tuahangata said sparked up a connection.   _Rendered impotent--  
_

“ _Nākahi_ ,” he said, slowly and aloud, as thoughts began to coalesce. “The krait up in the hills.  When he bit Maui, I thought for a minute that it was going to take him down.”  He frowned.  “But then Maui did something with his hook and stopped the venom…”

He trailed off into thoughtful silence, considering this.  Had it been  _healing,_ as Maui had done for Tamatoa’s own punctured claw?  At the time, Maui had said it was about  _change_.  Had he  _changed_  the venom?

And then there was a more pressing concern:  Tamatoa was still not entirely sure if these were powers Maui held himself, or if the  _hook_  itself was a critical part of the equation.

\---

Tuahangata’s other eyebrow rose to join the first. “I’m surprised Maui let the krait get so close.”

But, now… to explain what had happened, or no? It was a feat he himself had witnessed several times in the past, when he and Maui had been on better terms. But the ramifications of divulging that information…

It would almost certainly guarantee the crabs’ success against Maui.

Was that an outcome that he wanted? For all of Maui’s - many, and horrible - faults, he was still a demigod who could not bring harm to mortals. These monsters, however… Tuahangata remembered the night he had been beheaded. He remembered what this creature before him now had done.

He pressed his lips together for a long moment before he spoke.

“He certainly is full of surprises.”

\---

Tamatoa cut his eyes over at the severed head as it clammed up, but he said nothing in response to its sudden reticence.

His thoughts were elsewhere, skimming across the island.  Tamatoa had saved Nākahi’s unbroken fang, taken on a whim after Maui had slain the giant krait.  It was buried, wrapped carefully in banana leaves, back in his own now decimated territory.  He instinctively hadn’t wanted Maui to find it, so he had buried it  _deep_.  It should have been left unscathed by the fires that had ravaged his home.

Was it worth going back for?  It couldn’t  _kill_  Maui, but maybe it could still be useful.  Maybe it could at least slow him down.  Even if just for a few moments.  It was the first spark of  _hope_  Tamatoa had found since his defeat.

None of this would matter, though, if he couldn’t  _get up and walk_.

He took a long, silent moment to focus again, then heaved himself back up.  He thought of that fang, waiting hidden beneath the soil in his territory--so very far on the other side of the island.  He thought of Aiata, out there risking everything on her own to bring back food for them.  

Tamatoa  _had_  to make this work.

He steadied himself, concentrated on his balance.  Then he took a step forward.

And this time he didn’t fall.

\---

Tuahangata shook off his doubt and grim thoughts when the crab stood and, finally, managed a successful step forward.

“Much better!” he called up, forcing cheer into his voice. “You’ve certainly got a leg up on the competition now. You’re going to need to be  _much_  faster than that, though. What’s the hold up? Go on, take another!”

\---

Tamatoa rolled his eyes and shot the disembodied head withering glare.

“Don’t you  _ever_  shut up?”

Clenching his jaw, he tuned out the demigod’s bad jokes and false encouragement.  He needed to  _concentrate_.  The next step would be harder, leading with the side which was now missing a leg.

He shifted his weight, then stepped again.  It was really more of a hop than a fluid step, as he had to pull his rear leg forward  _fast_  to prevent from tipping over with nothing to support him on that side.  It was awkward and ungainly and anything but graceful, but he didn’t fall.

He let out a small sigh of relief.  Okay, maybe he  _could_  do this.

That tentative step was followed by another.  Then another short hop with the remaining left leg.  And another step again

It was difficult, though.  Adjusting for the missing leg was challenging, forcing him to shift his balance in a whole new way and rethink the placement and cadence of his remaining legs.

He made it a few more steps, increasing their speed.

Until he put one dactyl wrong, balanced his weight just slightly off, and came crashing back down again with a yelped curse.

\---

“I’m afraid I do not,” Tuahangata admitted brightly, watching as the creature discovered a new gait. “All that I have left to me is poor company and the pleasure of hearing my own voice. I must take what I can get,” he finished his comment dryly.

He was silent for a moment, and in that space the monster crab once more toppled to the ground. Tuahangata had to give him credit for his persistence.

“You are better company than the shark was, I’ll admit that much,” he added, offhand.

\---

From where he lay in the dust, Tamatoa snorted.  “Shame that shark didn’t just eat you,” he muttered iritably.  “Spare us all the dubious  _pleasure_  of hearing your voice.”

He pushed himself back up and started again.  His steps were getting more confident as he continued, more stable.  He still had to make a weird little hop to compensate on the left side, but it was smoothing out some as he practiced.

It was still a ways off from being able to run or to fight, but it was a start.  He allowed himself a small smile.  Hopefully Aiata would be impressed when she returned.

The smile faded and his balance wavered just a little, although he was able to keep upright this time.  Worry creeping in, he glanced at the tunnel to the surface.  He hoped she was okay up there.

\---

Aiata emerged from the tunnels into the velvet darkness of night.  She was ravenously hungry and this hunt absolutely could  _not_  go as badly as last night’s had.  One thing was certain, however, she couldn’t risk venturing near the village tonight.  Chances were high that the demigod would be patrolling there again and it was far too great a risk.

That was fine, though, she had another idea.  She extended her antennae, angling them  _just so_ into the wind _._   

And there it was, just as she had hoped.  The scent was thick on the wind, even this far away.  Following it, she turned and headed into the hills.  In short order, she had traced it to its source, although she already knew the way well enough.  After all, she had been here last night.  It was here where she had given Maui the slip.

Aiata climbed over the ridge and descended down into the crater’s familiar bowl once again.  Luck was with her tonight, it seemed.  Scattered everywhere were the corpses of dead monster bats.  There were hundreds of them and the smell of their blood and ripening flesh permeated the air.  They were slashed to pieces, cut and torn and mutilated.  They had also been rotting out in the sun all day and smelled beyond putrid, but that didn’t matter to Aiata right now.  Meat was meat.  And, distasteful as it might be, this was a  _bounty_  of food.

She wasted no time.  Moving quickly, she began gathering them up.  One after another, she snatched them from the ground and loaded them onto her shell.  For every few she collected, she paused briefly to wolf one down herself, all the while keeping a watchful eye out for Maui.

It was a risk, stopping to eat while she worked, but if it meant she could bring back more for them to share, then she would take it.  After all, the more she could bring back, the longer they could stay safely underground.  Thankfully, she could carry quite a lot.  By the time she was done, her own hunger had been sated  _and_  there was enough meat to last them for  _many_  days.  Sure, it was rancid and definitely not preferable by either of their tastes, but it would get them through the next week and with minimal effort, too.

As soon as she’d gathered as much as she could possibly carry, meat piled high on her shell, she crept stealthily back to the tunnels.

\---

Tuahangata allowed the crab to practice his walking in peace, and watched. He watched as confidence bloomed across the crab’s expressive face, then still as worry took over. He did not miss it when the monster glanced at the tunnel the other had left by.

“Oh, it did, actually,” he broke the silence at last. “The shark, that is. It was not a pleasant experience for either of us, I’m sure.”

If he could have tilted his head inquiringly, he would have; as it was, he settled for raising an eyebrow, only halfway. “So, what happened?” he asked. “The last I’d seen you, you and Maui were working in tandem.” He glanced down the the shredded stump of leg. “What changed?”

\---

Tamatoa paused in his practice to quirk an eye at Tuahangata’s words.  Wait, the shark did  _what_ —?  If a demigod couldn’t be  _killed,_ then…

He recoiled, face scrunching in disgust, and quickly decided that he did  _not_  want to know the details about  _that_.  No, thank you.

Then the rest of what the demigod said filtered in.  He bristled, eyes glowing angrily.  “We were  _never_  in  _tandem_.  He’s done nothing but make my life  _miserable_  since he fell outta the sky months ago.”  Was it really  _months_  ago?  It seemed like an eternity.

“Harassing me, threatening me, forcing me to play a part in his sadistic games, running off all the food.   _Burning my home to the ground!_ ”  His words grew more heated as he went on.

“Manipulative bastard,” he growled.  “All I wanted was him to leave me alone.”

\---

Tuahangata blinked at the vehemence of the crab’s words. He was left to question his assumptions…  _many_  of them. He had been thinking of Maui and this monster as partners,  _friends_  even, who had suffered a grievous falling out. But the truth rang out through the other’s words.

And if all this was true, then Maui was  _much_  worse than he’d thought. Befriending a monster, while unheard of amongst demigods, at least allowed Maui some positive qualities. Affection, camaraderie, perhaps even trust. But to  _use_  a monster, even to kill other monsters… there was nothing good in that. Only selfish desires.

Tuahangata had no stomach left to him, but felt sick to his core nonetheless.

All the same, he had to ask; voice soft and him uncertain of wanting to hear the answer...

“Then why did you help him do this to me?”

\---

“Hey man, I came to you for  _help_  first,” Tamatoa groused down at Tuahangata’s head.  “And you tried to  _kill_  me without even listening.  And you would have come back soon enough to finish the job.”

Dismissive, he flicked his antennae.  “There is no demigod for us  _monsters_.  Nobody comes to  _our_  aidwhen  _we’re_  in trouble.  We have to help  _ourselves_.”

Glowing eyes narrowed fiercely, boring down upon the head.  “So when Maui returned and offered a deal to get rid of  _you_ before you came back to kill  _me_ , I took it.”

\---

Tuahangata was silent in the face of this, the crab’s words washing over him, uncovering the gravity of his mistakes. His, and Maui’s; and this poor creature left to reap the consequences of others’ actions.

The part of his mind that balked at the idea of a monster having any  _humanity_  was growing smaller by the minute. He had seen too much to the contrary this past day. Fear, determination,  _love….  
_

Faced with the undeniable truth of many things he had neglected to notice over the centuries, and even more recently, he sighed.

“It seems that I have been terribly remiss,” Tuahangata finally spoke. “And I trust that you will endeavor to highlight the errors of my ways. Might I begin by asking your name?”

\---

Tamatoa quirked an eye.  Was that was nearly an  _apology?_   Or something like it, anyway.  Honestly, Tamatoa wasn’t quite sure  _what_  it was, but he was intrigued nevertheless.

For a long, contemplative moment, he peered thoughtfully down at Tuahangata and his anger gradually receded.

He decided that he liked this demigod a whole lot better now that he was a disembodied head.

“Tamatoa.”

\---

“It’s wonderful to finally have a civil conversation with you, Tamatoa,” Tuahangata answered him. Then he paused, realizing he didn’t know what else to say in the face of all else that had already been said.

Finally, he added, awkwardly, “But you’d best continue getting your legs in order.”

\---

Tamatoa almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.  Here he was, having a pleasant chat with the disembodied head of a demigod--the  _same_  monster-hating demigod zealot who had tried to kill him twice before--who was suddenly greeting him with stiff formalities.  And now it was all “civil conversation.”

He smirked and was halfway to saying something that probably wouldn’t do him any favors when his antennae shot up to attention.  There was a faint scrape against stone from down in the tunnels, accompanied by a pleasantly familiar scent, mixed with the reek of overripe meat.

His smirk shifted into something far more warm and genuine.  Tuahangata momentarily forgotten, Tamatoa turned, awkwardly but without stumbling, towards the upward-running passageway where even now a faint glow of purple and red and pale blue was chasing the shadows away.

A moment later, Aiata appeared beneath the tunnel’s arch.  She was unhurt, for which Tamatoa felt a great swell of relief.

Her shell was piled high with mangled monster bat carcasses, more than they could eat in close to a  _week_.  Unlike the previous nights of hunting, she didn’t even look winded, either.  Where had all those bats  _come_  from?  How had she found so  _many_  so  _quickly?_   Where--

Oh, it didn’t matter.  Their eyes met and Aiata smiled.  She looked him up and down, taking in his steady stance, and her smile grew broader.

“Well, you’re looking better,” she said, sounding pleased.

Tamatoa grinned, practically preening.  “Yeah?  You think so?”

He might be a filthy, battered mess, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still show off.  With a confidence born of practice, he moved with careful, deliberate steps to meet her.  The odd, off-beat gait wasn’t elegant by any score, but he made it to her just the same.

Her eyes went wide with surprise, then shone with immense relief.  “Oh yes,” she said, softer as he reached out with his antennae to twine with hers.  “I  _definitely_  think so.”

A little praise went a long way towards mending Tamatoa’s frayed pride.

When they seperated, Tamatoa stepped slowly, stiffly to the side (still without falling!) to give her room to bring her massive haul of food in.  They would eat well tonight, it would seem.

\---

As he watched the smirk blossom across Tamatoa’s face, Tuahangata felt certain he would not enjoy the words about to rain down. He braced for them, nonetheless. It didn’t matter if he deserved them or not - for certainly Tamatoa’s actions had been counter to Tuahangata’s mandate, and the demigod would continue to defend humanity even now - but now, he had nothing left to him but to grin and bear it.

So it was with no small amount of relief that he watched Tamatoa turn his attention away. Tuahangata could guess, by the drastic change in expression, just who was on her way back. He watched as she arrived, observed the warmth with which they greeted each other. And a feeling of helplessness rose up within him.

Tamatoa had been right, to a point. Humans were small and frail but full of such potential; they needed protection from those that would slaughter them, hunt them down as these monsters did. That’s what the demigods were for. But Tuahangata had never, until now, considered the other side of that equation. To whom did monsters turn when  _they_  were hunted down and slaughtered?

He had never been told that they were evil, or of less worth than humans. Those had been his own assumptions, and of the other demigods as well. And now he was learning, rapidly, how wrong they all had been.

And yet… he  _was_  under mandate to protect humans. He knew what these creatures did to them; he had to do everything in his power to prevent that. Yesterday, he had thought to pit his enemies, Maui and these crabs, against each other. Tuahangata was no longer certain that that was the correct course of action.

What to do?

When their attention finally split from each other and Tamatoa stepped aside, Tuahangata took the opportunity to speak up.

“Chieftess,” he called, opting to honor her, not least in the hope of currying some degree of favor and understanding. “I would like to confide in you that certain truths have been laid before me, and I have come ‘round to a new perspective. If you desire such a thing, I will assist you, as much as I can, in your battle against my brother. I ask only two things in return. The first: might I have the pleasure of your name?”

\---

Aiata shifted her attention, taken by surprise when the leftover head began to address her with such an excess of decorum.   _Chieftess?_   She glanced sideways at Tamatoa, quirking an eye.  Was this guy for  _real_  with the formalities?

Tamatoa caught her look and tilted his shell in a slight shrug.  One corner of his mouth curled upward in a small grin.

Aiata had to suppress a snicker.  Not that she objected to the honorific—a little respect was generally well received—but paired with his stuffy, stiff language and his diminutive,  _abbreviated_  size, it was all rather amusing.  Ridiculous, even.

Still, she would play along for the moment.  It would be interesting to see what exactly he had to say and exactly  _how_  he thought he could  _help_  them as a leftover head.

“Aiata,” she replied simply and without ceremony, then returned with a question of her own.  “And what  _truths_  would those be?”

She glanced back to Tamatoa, wryly appreciative.  My my, what had he been up to while she was away?  First, walking and now… whatever this was.  Clearly, she wasn’t the only one who had enjoyed a productive evening today.

\---

Tuahangata was ready with his plea -  _please do not harm the humans_  - when Aiata’s question registered. She hadn’t asked about his second request, rather, had asked him what he’d  _learned.  
_

He blinked, caught off-guard. Then he cleared his throat, switching to this new line of conversation.

“I have learned that your kind are much, much more than I had ever assumed, and in learning this I have also uncovered a deep fault of negligence within myself. It is not that I had not known, but had not  _cared_  to know _,_ the complexities and vulnerabilities of a monster’s life.

“I have faced the truth that while I was not  _wrong_ , neither was I right. I aim, now, to do only right by you. I hope you will allow me that opportunity.”

\---

Aiata and Tamatoa exchanged a glance.

My goodness, what  _had_  Tamatoa told this demigod?  Whatever it was, it must have been a  _doozy_ to inspire such unexpected empathy.  She was rather impressed.  For all Tamatoa’s faults, she had chosen  _well_  that long ago mating season, nearly two centuries past.

Whatever Tama had said, she would make sure to help it along just a little bit more.

She stepped closer to the leftover head and bent low, getting closer to his own eye level.

“Did you think us all just mindless beasts?” she asked, a teasing, yet sharp, smile playing about her glowing lips.  “In all your years, never thought to strike up a conversation?”

Her eyes tilted at the corners, crinkling with a look of good-natured humor.

“Well, I’m glad to see you’ve had a  _change of heart_.”

She had noticed his propensity towards puns, after all.  What better way to help him relate to them just that much more than to join in.

\---

Tuahangata opened his mouth to offer a sincere reply… then snapped it shut at Aiata’s pun. Nothing so undignified as a  _giggle_  escaped him, and a sudden lightness of mood fell across him.

“Indeed, I don’t think I could stomach my old ways any longer,” he replied. “It is a breath of fresh air to know the truth.”

\---

She grinned wider at his return pun.  “Those old ways didn’t have a  _leg to stand on_ ,” she quipped back.

Beside her, she heard Tamatoa let out a surprised and deeply affronted huff.  ”Hey! _Not_  funny,” he groused, a touch petulantly.

She laughed and shot the severed head on the floor an impish wink.

Then she straightened from her crouch and turned to Tamatoa.  Once her back was to the demigod, she gave Tamatoa a sly, knowing look and the insulted expression on his face slid away with realization.

“Hungry?” she asked him casually, cool as anything and gesturing to the haul of meat on her shell.

“Very.”  He was obviously trying not to grin now, himself.

So, without further comment, she unloaded the dead monster bats.  She set out enough for Tama, plus two extra for herself--after all, it was  _summer_  and she tended to have an increased appetite time of year.  A little extra would do her good.  The rest she stashed away in a small antechamber off the main one, blocked by a rather heavy stone, for safekeeping.  It would last them for many days, if properly managed.

She and Tamatoa settled down before their meal and Aiata was pleased to note that he was getting far more adept at laying down with his missing leg now.

Observing no formalities, Tamatoa started straight into his dinner.

Aiata, on the other hand, quirked an eye at the severed head.  “You still hungry?” she called over to him, grinning.  “Plenty to spare tonight.  If you like bat, that is.”

\---

Genuine surprise washed over Tuahangata, just for a moment; even if Aiata had made the offer in jest, it was… well, it was  _something.  
_

“I  _am_  hungry,” he admitted, “stomach or no.  Just because I - apparently - do not need to eat, it does not make starving any more pleasant. However,” and he wrinkled his nose; the odor of the rancid bats was  _foul,_  “I believe I would rather wait for something more to my tastes. A banana, perhaps.”

The thought of eating that meat turned his non-existent stomach; he may even have turned a shade green.

\---

Tamatoa snickered between mouthfuls.  “Look at him, I think he’s going to be sick.”

Aiata smirked, but then looked back to the head.  “This isn’t exactly to  _our_  tastes, either,” she told the demigod plainly.  It was true, too.  They both preferred their meat fresher than this.  “But circumstances being what they are, I’m afraid our options are a bit limited right now.”

She tried not to think about the bizarre biomechanics of a disembodied head still feeling  _hunger_.

“I’ll bear your preferences in mind, however,” she added with a charming half smile.

Then she turned her attention to her meal, falling silent as she pulled apart the overly fragrant meat.

\---

“I’m somehow glad to know that,” Tuahangata responded, feeling some strange comfort that at least they didn’t  _like_  the rotting bats. It felt like something they almost had in common. “For now, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll bear the privilege of unending starvation.” His voice was weak by the end of his statement, and he looked away, as much as he could when he could only move his eyeballs.

Still, it was worth noting: as many traits as these monsters shared with humans, they were decidedly not the same. Meat this rancid would likely kill any human who ate it, after all. And after spending so much time among humans, Tuahangata was rather accustomed to their ways of eating. A monster’s diet would not suit him, even now, when all that was left of him was his head.

\---

When Maui arrived back at the crater, he knew he’d been right to return. It had been scavenged thoroughly, moreso than any natural beasts on the island would account for. No, Aiata had led him here, and later returned to feast upon his efforts.

Let her enjoy her spoils for now. She, and Tamatoa, would suffer soon enough.

Maui crouched down by the nearest bat and, reaching out, swiftly set it alight. Fire spread quickly from corpse to corpse. He did not bother the wind to direct the flames, this time. He cared not where the fire went, and would need the time and energy for something else, instead.

He glanced at the sky, judging the time. He would need to begin preparations soon.

\---

The two crabs finished their meal in peace, leaving nothing behind.

“You think you can make it down to the sea?” Aiata asked after they were done, looking Tamatoa up and down.

Tamatoa’s antennae perked.  The prospect of a  _bath_  was enticing, to say the least.  Finally being able to wash the crusted blood and dirt off himself would feel _wonderful_.  It was a bit of a walk through the tunnels to get to the sheltered little inlet, but with a decent meal and hours of practice walking, he had was feeling a renewed sense of confidence.

“Absolutely.”

She grinned.  “C’mon then, let’s go.”  Aiata rose with all the powerful grace of a huntress, stepping towards the tunnel that lead down towards the ocean.

Tamatoa grinned right back, pushing himself up from the ground.  Standing was growing ever easier as he finally got the hang of how to balance for it.  Walking, however, still took concerted effort.  Nevertheless, he moved to join her in his strange, off-kilter gait.

Before they stepped into the tunnel, Aiata glanced back at Tuahangata’s head.  “Don’t go anywhere now,” she told him.

Then she stepped into the tunnel and Tamatoa followed, leaving Tuahangata alone in the dark.

Once they were well out of earshot of the demigod, Tamatoa told her in quiet murmurs of what had transpired while she was away.  Aiata seemed quite amused by the whole thing, but her eyes  _really_  lit up when he told her about the krait fang that he had stashed back in his burned-out territory.  

“This is  _good_ ,” she said in hushed tones.  “We have to go back for it.  As soon as you’re strong enough, we’ll get it.”

_As soon as he was strong enough_.  Tamatoa shuddered.  Slivers of returned confidence or not, the prospect of that walk was still  _daunting_.  It was nearly a day’s trek around the mountains from here, even when in good health.  And the thought of making that walk on three legs, all the while with  _Maui_  at large and ready to attack--

“Tama.”

Aiata’s voice broke into his thoughts before they could spiral too far into the abyss of fear.  He looked up, meeting her eyes.  They were steady, a contrast to his own anxious ones.

“We’re here.”

“Oh.”

And so they were.  The rising fear drew back again as the sweet smell of the ocean washed over him, a welcome fresh scent after so many days confined below ground.  He took a moment to soak it in, relishing the sultry summer air.

Aiata was already wading in, beckoning with a claw for him to follow.  Strides growing ever-steadier, he entered the moonlit water with her.  It felt nice, the gentle waves lapping against him and beginning to wash the caked-on blood from his exoskeleton.  Without a word, Aiata stepped close and began to help him rinse the grime away.  Blue-green clots of dried blood, swaths of dark dirt, and streams of pale dust were sluiced away with the retreating waves.  Gently, she cleaned the wounds he couldn’t reach and carefully inspected the cracked stump of his leg.

The warm seawater swirled around them, rising and falling with the surf as they groomed each other.  It was penultimately relaxing, despite all the worries lingering on the fringes of their world.  There was a certain contentment to be found in being clean and well fed and in pleasant company, however.  And in that contentment, some of Tamatoa’s fears began to subside.  He allowed himself to just enjoy the moment, brief though it may be, and Aiata’s light touch upon him.

When Aiata had finished addressing his wounds, Tamatoa nudged her with the edge of his shell.  “How about yours?”

He hadn’t forgotten the long gash Maui had left across her abdomen.

“It’s fine, Tama,” she assured him once again.  “Just a cut, that’s all.”

“Lemme see.”

“Tama--”

He nudged her again, insistent.

“Oh, fine,” she finally acquiesced.

She maneuvered around so he could look, letting her tail-like abdomen relax away from her underside.  Tamatoa leaned close to peer at the wound.

It was a clean slice, without any ragged edges, that ran all the way across her tail and stopping just inches away from her pleopods, the elegantly curved, delicate feathery appendages that curled around her abdomen on one side.  Despite her protests, it  _was_  more than just a scratch.  The wound was healing nicely, though--better, in fact, than some of the lacerations Tamatoa bore.  Already, there was scar tissue forming and soon it would be just another war wound.  Still, he reached forward with his antennae to run along it in closer inspection.

It was fine, though, and in another handful of days it would be fully healed.  Finally, Tamatoa was satisfied that she was in no danger from it.  Nevertheless, he didn’t pull his antennae away just yet.  Instead, they continued on their path to trace softly across her body in gentle caresses.  

Aside from a few brief days before summer had really even begun, their time together this year had been marred by so much trauma.  Their usual patterns had been utterly disrupted.  But the pull of the summer season was strong and, now that he could walk once more, Tamatoa could hardly resist it.  Instinct was a powerful thing.  Driven by primal desires, he ran his antennae along Aiata’s abdomen with long, sensual strokes, glancing up to watch the vivid expressions that began flitting across her face.  A wicked smile of his own blossomed.  Clearly, he wasn’t the only one feeling the seasonal pull.

Eyes never leaving her face, he slid his touch along her side to brush lightly against her sensitive pleopods.  The effect was immediate and he felt it as a shiver rolled through her, vibrating ever so faintly against his antennae.  There was a subtle change to the nature of her scent in the air and she shifted her weight restlessly.  When she finally spoke, her voice was low and breathy.

“Tama…”

“Hmm?” he replied in a playful croon.

“We should go back inside.”

He grinned.

\---

Tuahanagata snorted at Aiata’s parting remark, but let the two crabs leave in peace. He could use the quiet time to himself to reflect on the past day.

Could this new knowledge, his burgeoning new perspective, have been influenced by his time lost in the sea? Helplessness and loneliness could have many negative effects on a person’s mind and psyche, he knew; not least amongst them an increased persuadability. Had he been in such a state of mental and emotional duress that he was more susceptible to accepting a monster’s point of view?

He… did not  _think_ so.

Monster-slaying had never been his specialty, the way it had been Maui’s or other demigods’. But nonetheless he’d encountered many: vicious things out for blood, revenge, or food. Counter to Aiata’s earlier comment, he  _had_  conversed with several others before, but had never uncovered anything but rage and murderous intent.

These two, however… yes, they raged, especially Tamatoa, but for an admittedly good reason. And there was more to them besides. They were creatures, just like any other in this world, trying only to live their lives.

Of course, part of that meant eating humans, and Tuahangata could not abide that. In fact, when they returned, he would have to-

...wait a minute.

Tuahangata’s thoughts cut to an abrupt halt as he focused on the humans. He hadn’t been paying attention lately, for rather obvious reasons, but now he focused on his innate sense of humanity, honing in on their presence on this island.

The humans were  _leaving._  

Baffled, he concentrated further. There were a few souls still remaining on the island, but the vast majority were gone, and retreating ever further. In a matter of days they would be so far that they would join the rest of the hubbub of humanity that murmured, always, in the back of his mind.

What in the world had happened?

He shifted his concentration; Maui was still here on the island, but not near the humans who remained in the village. Had he sent the humans away? Had something happened and they left on their own? Something else, perhaps?

His musings were interrupted when he heard scrapes and scuffling coming from the tunnel by which the crabs had left, accompanied by what sounded like breathless whispers and faint giggling. Tuahangata raised an eyebrow, wondering what it was they had to be so happy about.

\---

By the time they reached the large underground chamber, the two amorous crabs were already focused solely on each other, with little care for anything else going on around them.  Swept up in the heat of the moment, they stayed in constant contact, each unable to keep their claws and antennae off the other as they stumbled hurriedly in.  Aiata, grinning widely, was half pulling Tamatoa along through the narrow tunnel as he eagerly limped as fast as his three legs could carry him.  Once in more spacious surroundings, they tumbled, laughing, to the ground in a tangle of claws and legs and antennae.  Their bioluminescence burned brightly, brilliant streaks of vibrant color in the dark.

Their summer had been hijacked by far too much strife and misery and pain and fear.  Now, they would take it back for themselves.

Shameless before their guest, Tamatoa and Aiata took solace and pleasure in one another, enjoying this brief moment of bliss, here where they felt safe and protected.

\---

It took less than a moment for Tuahangata to realize just what was going on.

_Oh. Well, then. Good for them.  
_

While he was certainly no stranger to the act, being, among other things, a fertility deity, Tuahangata nonetheless tried to look away and mind his own business… but he couldn’t help that they were right in front of him and he physically could not turn around. Eventually, he gave up and simply observed.

It was an educational experience, to say the least; Tuahangata learned plenty about monster crab anatomy and reproductive practices. However, he also found further evidence to support his newfound realizations: the way they looked at each other, the way they treated each other; there was no doubt that these two were deeply, truly in love.

It was beautiful. But still no less awkward when they were done.

\---

When they had run their course, the the pair settled themselves back onto the floor and nestled close together to bask in the afterglow.  It was only then, blissfully sated, that Tamatoa remembered their guest.  He glanced over, eyes heavy lidded with spent lust, to look at Tuahangata’s severed head.

The demigod was staring at them.

A lazy, self-satisfied smile slowly spread across Tamatoa’s face, dripping with smug pride.  “Did you enjoy the show?”

Beside him, he heard a muffled giggle slip from Aiata.

\---

Tuahangata raised an eyebrow in response to that.  _Oh?_  he thought,  _Is that how it’s going to be?  
_

“It was absolutely delightful,” he answered, with faux enthusiasm. “Though,” he paused, and assumed a thoughtful expression. “I  _have_  seen better.”

He turned his attention to Aiata, and continued before the insult could sink in too deeply. “Chieftess? I do hope his rather  _short tenure_  was enough to satisfy you?”

\---

A strangled sound escaped Tamatoa as the double-pronged insult sank in.  When he recovered from his shock a moment later, he opened his mouth, about to say something blistering in response.

But Aiata laughed, then nudged him playfully with a pincer to stem the inevitable flood of indignant and offended words.  “Oh Tama, he’s just jealous because you have  _two_  and he has…”  She paused, giggling again.  “Well, he doesn’t have  _any_  now.”

Her antennae reached over to give him a long, intimate caress and Tamatoa felt the incoming angry tirade fade away under her touch.

Then she spoke again to Tuahangata, eyes tilted with amusement.  “I’ve got no complaints.”

\---

Although her words were an insult - meant to calm Tamatoa or not - Tuahangata felt little sting at them. Which was just as well, for he had a question he needed ask, and bruised pride would have made the asking more difficult.

“In that, at least, but I suspect you may have a rather different complaint soon. Tell me, has anything changed on the island recently? Did I miss a volcanic eruption or anything?”

He rather hoped he  _had,_  despite the consequence of being left adrift. Because the alternative confirmed what he already suspected.

\---

Tamatoa huffed bitterly.  “You mean besides Maui burning my territory to the ground?”

Aiata, however, quirked an eye.  “Nothing of note,” she answered, far more reasonably.  “Why?”

\---

Tuahangata sighed. “Then I suspect Maui must be behind it. He’s sent the mortals aways from the island. They get farther away even as we speak.”

He was, admittedly, rather torn. On the one hand, if they weren’t  _here_ , then these crabs could not eat them and he would not have to ask them not to. On the other hand, however… it meant Maui would soon strike against them. Tuahangata had no doubts it would be vicious, as well.

\---

“Wait, what?” Tamatoa asked, antennae stiffening anxiously.  His pleasant, blissful mood was already starting to evaporate.  The demigod’s words sent a queasy feeling through him, a crushing feeling of impending dread.

Aiata’s eyes sharpened as well, bearing down with piercing intensity on Tuahangata.  “How do you know this?”

\---

“I can sense humanity,” Tuahangata answered, simply but earnest. “As their appointed protector, I can not-  _could_  not -allow them to come to harm from, well…” he trailed off. They knew what he meant, he needn’t belabor the point. 

“One of the powers I possess to accomplish that task is  _knowing_  where they are. And it is how I tracked Maui to this island, as well.” With the intent of reminding him of his duties, which, apparently, Maui had managed to fulfill despite himself.

\---

Tamatoa took all this in, mind reeling with this sudden glut of information.

If this was true and Maui had sent the humans away….  Tamatoa grit his teeth, already knowing  _why_.  That damnable demigod was going to try and starve them out  _again_.  This was the  _exact thing_  that he had made his deal with Maui to  _prevent_.

He fully expected the fish would disappear next, along with any  _other_  game in the forests.  And this time, there would be no way to stave Maui off, no way he could talk his way out of it.  Maui didn’t want a new  _target_ ; he was out for  _blood_  this time-- _their_  blood.

Tamatoa shuddered.

He glanced at Aiata.  In her wisdom, she had brought back a wealth of food today.  That, at least, should hold them over for a week or so, long enough to figure something out.

Even as fear rolled into Tamatoa, Aiata’s eyes were growing shrewd.

“You’re telling me that you can detect where Maui is?” she asked slowly.  “ _Anywhere?_ ”

\---

Tuahanagata tried to nod. “Yes; well, sort of. It is not as though I could tell you precisely where he is on the island, especially being unfamiliar as I am with the terrain. But I  _can_  discern if he is getting closer or farther away, and in which direction. If he’s close enough, I can make a more accurate estimation of his location. It is a consequence of his being born human; demigod or not, he still has humanity within him, and I can sense that in him as well as, or even more easily, than any mortal human.”

He wished, at that moment, that he still had hands with which to comb through his hair, a relaxing motion he had practiced as long as he could remember.

“So he’s still here, but the humans are gone. He  _must_ be up to something.”

\---

Tamatoa’s antennae perked slightly.  If Tuahangata could tell when Maui was growing near, they would have at least some warning if he came back.  That, at least, was a comfort.

Of course, that hinged on Tuahangata being  _willing_  to warn them of the danger.

He peered down at the talking head.  This demigod’s help was likely  _highly_  dependant on Tamatoa  _not_  telling him why Maui might be running all the humans off.

But the more Tamatoa thought about it, the more he wondered if that was  _all_  it was.  Maui hadn’t needed to send the humans  _off_  the island the last two times.  He’d been more than capable of keeping the humans corralled within the village before.  And once contained within the village and its dense barrier of forest, they were out of reach for large monsters to hunt.

Why would Maui send them off the island altogether now?

Tamatoa and Aiata exchanged a glance.

“Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not good,” Tamatoa said, dour.

Aiata spoke next, addressing Tuahangata directly.  “Would you be willing to let us know if he gets near us here?” she asked softly, with an air of one petitioning for much needed assistance.

\---

“Of course I will,” Tuahangata affirmed. “Tamatoa made an excellent point earlier: there is nobody to help the monsters.” Now that he was relieved of prioritizing the humans, he could step up to that task. Figuratively speaking.

“Maui has proven himself an unrelenting threat, and he no longer upholds the values and principles of a demigod.” He paused for a beat, then continued. “Besides which, he  _cut off my head,_ and I am rather upset about that still.

“So any means by which I can foil Maui’s plans? I am  _all in.”  
_

\---

Tamatoa was unable to contain his grin.  Who would have thought that this demigod, who was once such a zealot, would suddenly become an ally?  Really, Tuahangata losing everything from the neck down had really made him far more pleasant to be around.  Best thing that could have happened to him.

Though, Tamatoa had more sense than to say that aloud.

He glanced at Aiata, who looked quite pleased herself.  She smiled down at Tuahangata, teeth gleaming in the dark.  “Glad to have you with us.”

Tamatoa chimed in next.  “So, is there anything  _else_  we should know?”

\---

Tuahangata chewed his lip for a moment. “Well, yes. Earlier I neglected to give you information. I did not know then what I know now, but regardless, I do believe it is information you should know. Concerning Maui’s fishhook, and the venomous bite he suffered from the krait.

“I mentioned before that the hook’s power is transformation; Maui has worked out how to use that for healing. He can change one thing into another thing, provided he has had a chance to memorize it. Usually it is himself into another body, a copy of the original, but he could have copied the snake venom to turn it into something else, as well.”

The demigod looked Tamatoa right in the eye, then. “The wound I gave you in our first battle; he healed it, didn’t he? What exactly did he do?”

\---

“He did,” Tamatoa admitted, glancing down at his claw.  It still bore the strange, round scars, the mark of an unnatural repair job.  “I would have had to molt to fix it otherwise.”

Accusatory words were ready on his tongue, waiting to lambast Tuahangata for stabbing through his claw like that.  It had seemed like a terrible injury at the time and it had  _hurt_.  But although a puncture through his exoskeleton was a serious wound, it paled now in comparison to what Maui had done to him.  The accusations died unspoken.

Instead, Tamatoa answered honestly.  “He stuffed leaves in it.”  He shuddered a bit at the memory, making a face.  That had been  _unpleasant_.  “Had me lick them first, though.  Said he needed a ‘template.’  Then he held the hook against it and... well...”  He flexed the claw, good as new now.

Aiata glanced from Tamatoa to Tuahangata.  “If he hadn’t been able to change the krait’s venom in time, what would have happened to him?”

\---

“Yes, your saliva would be the original; he transformed the leaves into your own flesh and blood, doing that. The most efficient way of healing that can be done with that hook.”

He switched his attention back to Aiata. “A krait’s bite is deadly because it will stop the lungs from breathing, or the heart from beating; but it is paralysis, in general. Since Maui cannot succumb to death, he would be left with the other consequences: he would not have been able to move had he not changed the venom into something else.”

He worked his jaw, thinking, remembering back to all of the (many) times he had seen Maui injured. “Of course, being a demigod, he mends quickly even without the hook. I don’t know how long it would have taken him to overcome that bite. Depending on the potency of the venom,” he pursed his lips, thinking of Pele, thinking of other monster encounters, “... perhaps a few hours?”

Then Tuahangata sighed. “But that information is all of theoretical use anyway. What’s past is past and, if I understand correctly, the krait long dead.”

\---

Tamatoa glanced back to Aiata.  There was a question in her expression.

“It was just a small bite,” he told her.  “Nākahi barely grazed him in the shoulder.”

“Just the one?” she asked.  The question was vague, but Tamatoa knew exactly what she meant.

“Yeah.  Nākahi was half dead, too.  Probably didn’t inject much, Maui barely stumbled.”

“Hmm.”  Her eyes narrowed, considering.  “Shoulder is pretty meaty, not a good target.”

Tamatoa agreed, they would have to hit something more  _vital_.  Then he paused their rapid fire conversation to look back at Tuahangata.  “You really think venom like that would put him down for that long?”

\---

Tuahangata raised an eyebrow, looking inquiringly between the two crabs. “There is precedent, yes,” he answered, bemused. “Maui has fought all manner of things in his life and has suffered injuries from many of them.”

He switched eyebrows, trying to convey his curiosity. “Why is it that you ask? He’s already defeated the krait, and has his hook besides.” There was a possibility the monstrous crabs could relieve Maui of his weapon, and that would be a boon in and of itself. By why ask about the krait venom?

\---

Tamatoa and Aiata exchanged a glance.

Tuahangata had become more helpful of late, but he was still a  _demigod_.  Tamatoa still recalled how zealous he had been, just a few weeks prior.  A demigod’s loyalty was to humans first, after all.  He was offering his assistance now.  But what if he changed his mind?

They weren’t ready to tell him  _everything_  just yet.  

Aiata picked up the line of conversation smoothly.  “It shows he  _can_  be slowed down.  He  _can_  be weakened,” she said, a cagey deflection.

It would take more than just weakening him, though.  Tamatoa wasn’t sure how they could  _truly_  defeat Maui, how to make  _sure_  he couldn’t come after them again.  Nevertheless, knowing that they could potentially lay him low, however temporary, was a good start.

But, they still had to  _retrieve_  the fang first.

Aiata was briskly changing the subject.  “We should rest,” she announced.  Then she cut her eyes over to Tamatoa, sanguine and suggestive and sensual all at once.  “We’ve had a busy night.”

Tamatoa winked, wearing a carnal smile matching her own.  “Busy  _getting_  busy,” he teased, squeezing every drop of innuendo imaginable into his tone.

Aiata grinned.

He was on the cusp of suggesting another round, but truth be told, he  _was_  rather tired after all the evening’s various exertions.  He was able to walk again at last, but he would need more rest if he wanted to even  _begin_  thinking about trekking back to his territory to retrieve the krait’s fang.

Besides that, it would be daytime soon enough.

So, he scooted just a smidgen closer to Aiata.  “I suppose rest is best, though.”

Of course, that didn’t stop him from tracing his antennae over her in slow strokes anyway until they both fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

The thing about the water is that the Ocean never listened. It was mischievous and uncontrollable, and Maui didn’t trust it. The only thing the Ocean could be counted on was that it _couldn’t_ be counted on.

The _sea_ , however, was entirely more biddable. 

It was a complicated difference between the two, and any entity who tried to explain it was hard-pressed to put it into words. But there _was_ a difference, and Maui happily took advantage of that fact.

Even so, it was not the easiest task. The sea was heavy and slow and distractible; it took _time_ to get it to do what he wanted. And that made _timing_ the hardest part of this task.

Maui warned the remaining villagers to head for higher ground, then strode out into the water. He transformed into his largest mortal form: the whale. Pound for pound, it was probably as heavy as his crab body, but far more elegant and streamlined. It, too, was heavy and slow, and it was the perfect form for talking to the sea.

Maui swam out a long distance, singing his songs to the sea. He turned north and began to circle the island, explaining what he wanted it to do. In its slow, languorous way the sea asked him questions, and in his deep, singing voice he answered. The sea didn’t care for morals, wasn’t _alive_ the way things generally were and so spared no thought to those things that were. But it _did_ enjoy a good conversation, Maui had learned, and a little flattery always went a long way.

And so, when it was well past dawn yet not quite noon, Maui arrived in front of the bluffs, still a league away from the edge of the land. The sea had agreed to do as he asked; he changed to the shape of a shark and charged, and the sea swelled beneath him, following and carrying him, headed directly for the island.

\---

Tuahangata was humming softly to himself.

He had been in this dark cavern for long enough that he had lost all sense of the time of day, but it mattered nought. He wasn’t tired. Perhaps a little mentally- and emotionally fatigued, but he _had_ gone through quite the turn-around of assumptions, beliefs, and priorities. It was enough to make his head spin.

Not that it _could_.

He checked every so often on where Maui was. The other demigod was moving, and incidentally moving closer to them here, but was still so far off, and moving so slowly, that Tuahangata did not feel it superseded his companions’ need to rest. Maui was sure to attack, and soon; they were going to need every bit of advantage they could get.

His pattern held true for so long that Tuahangata was genuinely surprised when it suddenly changed. Maui was moving. Fast. And _right towards them._

“Aiata! Tamatoa!” he shouted. “He’s coming, wake up!”

\---

Tamatoa awoke with a start, shattering the first peaceful sleep he’d had in what seemed like ages.  Someone was shouting.Someone who wasn’t Aiata.Who--?

For a moment, he was confused.  Then awareness caught back up swiftly and he remembered their guest.  It was _Tuahangata_ shouting.  A moment later, the _words_ registered.

_Maui_.

Cold spears of terror pierced him.   _Maui was coming!_  For a moment, he lay frozen and paralyzed by fear.

Aiata’s voice cut sharply through it, ringing out with urgency but levelheaded clarity.  “He wouldn’t _dare_ come down here again.  Where is he?From what direction?”

She was already standing, alert and poised for battle.  Her eyes gleamed with red fire in the dark.

Well, Tamatoa couldn’t just _lay here_ , then.  He swallowed his fear and shoved himself up to stand as well.  His eyes darted to the various tunnel entrances to their chamber, watching them warily.

\---

“He’s-” he couldn’t _turn_ or _point_ and that was suddenly, unbelievably frustrating. “He’s behind me, to the left? He’s not in the sky, he’s in the water. He’s moving much faster than anything I can think of… a matter of minutes, I think…”

How could Maui be moving so fast? No form, not even his hawk, was _that_ fast. What on earth…?

\---

_In the water?_  Tamatoa looked nervously the tunnel that lead to the sea.  Had Maui found it?Was he going to try storming the tunnels from there?  Even if he _did_ , he’d still have to find his way through the tunnels quite a ways before he got to their chamber.

Well, Tamatoa could walk now.  And while he wasn’t nearly ready for a fight yet, they would _still_ have the advantage if Maui tried to take them on in their own domain again.  He flexed his claws.If it came down to it, he would fight with whatever he had.

But still, Tamatoa had his doubts.  What was Maui up to?

“You really think he’s going to try to come down here again?” he asked, looking to Aiata.

Aiata stepped around him, standing between him and the seaward tunnel.  She stared down itwith fierce, hard eyes.

“Let him try.”

\---

The sea knew the way. Maui had wanted something grand, showy and deadly, but the sea whispered to him: _there is a better way._

Not that it would have listened to his protestations. The sea was doing as he asked, but in its own, ineffable way.

The wave he rode narrowed to a point, a sharp spearhead aiming for one small inlet, one single tunnel. Maui leapt from the water and into the air, transforming into a hawk to watch from on high. The sea didn’t need him now, and he needed to keep watch for his quarry.

They’d be fleeing their labyrinth of tunnels soon enough.

\---

Aiata smelled it before she heard it:  the faint, salty tang of seawater misting into the air.  Her antennae twitched.The smell grew stronger, the air more humid.  A sudden gust of wind blew her antennae back.

Her eyes grew wide.

“Tama!” she gasped out, already turning around.  “ _RUN!”_

Then the sound echoed up through the tunnel, roaring like a storm trapped within the confined space.

In that brief instant, she saw the horrifying realization streak across Tamatoa’s face.

The sea was rising up to flood their tunnels.

\---

The first thing Tuahangata noticed was the sound. Familiar, almost nauseating, but he couldn't place why.

Then air gusted out from a tunnel and into the cavern, bringing with it the salty, foamy scent of the sea.

Fear bolted through his mind, a sharp intake of breath the only sound to escape him. _No_.

Not the sea again. Not more endless, aimless floating. Not more lonely emptiness!

Aiata was turning, and Tuahangata saw fear in her eyes. How, in the face of this, her mate in danger, would she remember him?

Sick, lonely fear twisted through him, awaiting his abandonment to the cold, uncaring water.

\---

The roar of water was deafening, howling through the tunnels towards them with terrifying ferocity.  It was as if a mad beast was loose within them.From somewhere below, there was an echoing crash as stone began to split under the water’s power.

Over the noise, she heard Tamatoa’s voice shouting.  “Which way?”

She had only seconds to decide which tunnel to take.  Which one was best?Would the water reach it through a side tunnel before they could escape?  Would Maui be waiting for them at the opening if they did?

Aiata made a snap decision.  “South! _GO!_ ”

Tamatoa didn’t hesitate, turning awkwardly and hobbling towards the south tunnel.  Agonizing fear ran through Aiata at the sight of his limping gait.Tamatoa could barely walk, how were they ever going to make it out of here?

She hardened herself against that rising fear, though.  There was no time for it now.She had to act.She had to get them all out of here.

Aiata swept forward.  A claw reached down, snatching Tuahangata’s head up by the hair.  It was not a gentle grab, but there wasn’t any time for _gentle_ either.  The demigod had proven himself useful, though—particularly now!—and she wasn’t about to leave him behind.

In the same fluid motion, she darted up beside Tamatoa, who was struggling to get his legs into a fast cadence and was already starting to falter.  Her other claw took hold of his, lending support to his damaged side.

“C’mon!  I’ve got you!”

With a demigod’s severed head in one claw and dragging Tamatoa along with the other, Aiata plunged headlong into the southern tunnels just as the first spray of seawater began to lick at their heels.

\---

Surprise splashed across Tuahangata’s face like a cold slap, then gratitude followed close on its heels. Aiata _hadn’t forgotten him!_ He was not to be relegated to the uncaring depths of the water again!

At least, not yet. The water was already _here_ , though, and Maui-

“Maui’s in the air!” he yelled up, hoping to catch Aiata’s attention. “He’s circling! Where can we go?”

The water was _right there;_ they had no time to slow and plan. Maui was keeping a bird’s eye view of the surface - if they fled anywhere into open area, the murderous demigod would surely see them….

\---

It was no surprise that Maui was watching for them from above, but to hear it aloud sent a chill through Tamatoa.  He nearly stumbled, but Aiata kept him level, pulling him along as he fought to keep his balance and struggled to keep pace on his remaining legs.

“This way!” she yelled, then changed direction and yanked him down into a little-used side tunnel.

The tunnel began to run steeply uphill, the floor transitioning from packed dirt to craggy rocks.  The water was just behind them, roaring through the tunnels and crashing around curves.He could feel the iminent spray of it on his rear pincers.  The sea’s advance was slowed by the steep angle of the tunnel, however, and it gave them precious seconds more.

_Wait a minute_.  Tamatoa knew this tunnel, but... no… 

“Aiata!” he called to her.  “But this one goes--”

She didn’t let him finish, barking out a fast reply.  “I know!”

“But--”

“Just keep going!”

Tamatoa, eyes wide, let himself be dragged along, scrambling to keep his legs in a functional rhythm.

The water was catching back up.  He swiveled an eye backwards and could see the foamy white front of it, barreling down upon them.

Then they slammed a halt.  Tamatoa focused ahead of him again to see why.

The tunnel had run out.  Or rather, it was now too narrow for either of them to fit down.  But there was light here, faint and dappled.Tamatoa looked up.Above them was a vertical chimney, reaching upward towards the sky.  It was from there that the pale light shown down, shadowy and diffuse.

A roar echoed behind them.  The water was racing towards them.

“Aiata!”

She shoved him ahead of her, rough with urgency.  “ _Climb!_ ” she commanded.

_Climb?!_  Could he?  He didn’t think he could.  “But I--”

She shoved him again, boosting him upward.  “You can do it!I’ll be right behind you!”

He _had_ to try, anyway.  If he didn’t they would both drown.  Tamatoa reached up with a claw and began to scale the rocky walls of the tube.

To his surprise, it wasn’t as difficult as he had expected.  Missing a leg was not the major hindrance here that it was when walking and he was able to climb swiftly, using just his remaining legs and aided by his front and rear claws.

Then he heard the crash.  The sea had reached them.Tamatoa looked down and his heart skipped a beat.  All he could see was rushing seawater, foamy and turbulent as it raced through the tunnels, swirling into the narrowing aperture of the tunnel beyond where he had just stood.

He couldn’t see Aiata.

Tamatoa tried to yell, but his voice was frozen in his throat.   _Aiata?!  Where was Aiata!?  No, no, no!_  He clung to the wall, horror strangling him.  He had to go back down.He couldn’t lose her.  He had to--

A claw burst from the rushing water, clamping ahold of the rocks.

Coughing and sputtering, Aiata hauled herself up from the water.  One claw was still clinging to Tuahangata’s head, the other pulled her out of the torrent.

“Aiata!”  Tamatoa felt relief course through him.  She was alive!He wanted to go to her and was nearly turning to do so when she looked up at him, water pouring off her shell as she ascended.  

“ _Keep going!_ ” she yelled, though her voice was rough and shaky.

As instructed, he climbed on.  The light was growing closer above him, but the water was rising below.  A glance down was enough to see that it was starting to fill their upward chimney, whipping up towards Aiata beneath him.  She was catching up to him, though, long legs pulling her upward.

Tamatoa climbed faster, giving her more room to follow behind him.  Looking back up towards the light, Tamatoa hoped fervently that Maui wasn’t waiting for them outside--or worse.  Tamatoa had never been in these tunnels.He had avoided them and for good reason.There was no telling just what _else_ might be waiting for them at the top, beyond the threat of Maui.  He would find out soon enough, though.He was nearly there.

Moments later, he pulled himself out of the hole and into the slanted light.  The tube opened up into the shelter of a vast rock cavern, where the only sunlight entered through the vine-covered mouth of the cave.  Beyond it, he could smell the damp, earthy scent of plants and trees mixed with a faint whiff of distant sulphur and something he couldn’t quite place.  He didn’t know where Maui was, but at least the roof above them would give them a temporary shield from the demigod’s sight.

That wasn’t his priority, though.

Tamatoa looked back down into the vertical tube.  Aiata was still climbing up.The water had risen high enough to reach her now and tugged at her rear pincers and hind legs, threatening to suck her downward.  She was struggling, pulling herself up with great, but flagging, effort.

He didn’t hesitate.  Tamatoa leaned over the lip of the tube and extended a claw.

“Aiata, c’mon!”

She didn’t have a claw free, however, to reach for him.  One was gripping the wall, anchoring her in place while the water swirled around her and the other was still holding the damn demigod’s head.

Aiata looked up, met his eyes.  He could see the exhaustion in them.  She’d been lending all her strength to him and it had clearly taken its toll.

Tamatoa reached further, trying to grab ahold of her, but she was just out of reach.  He was about to yell for her to just _drop_ the damn head, but he didn’t get the chance.

Instead, he heard her say to the demigod, just barely audible over the roar of water, “Sorry about this.”

Then she stuffed the head in her mouth.

Her other claw, now free, swung forward to grab ahold of Tamatoa’s own.  Without even thinking about his missing limb, Tamatoa immediately braced his legs against the ground and _pulled_ with every drop of power he had left to him.  With their combined strength, Aiata was dragged out of the hole and onto solid ground just as the water crested over the lip of the tube and poured out across the cavern floor.  They collapsed onto the ground, water streaming around them as they lay, clinging desperately to each other in an exhausted heap.Neither of them moved, their legs tangled together and both simply glad to be _alive_.

Slowly, as his wits returned to him, Tamatoa twined his antennae with Aiata’s.  For a moment, he thought he had lost her.He couldn’t find words to express his relief to still have her by his side, so he said nothing and just leaned into her gratefully.

He barely noticed when she tiredly lifted a claw to pull Tuahangata’s head out of her mouth and set it on the wet ground beside them.

\---

Tuahangata was no stranger to pain. Between reckless heroics, deadly serious fights, rough sailing, and having his head cut off, the demigod had experienced his fair share of less-than-tender sensation.

But when the wall of water hit them it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Not the body-crunching slam that falling into the open ocean was like, but close, and followed by a strong _pull_ as the water tried to carry him away. Aiata didn’t let go. 

Still, the rush of water was so strong... he thought he’d be ripped from Aiata’s grasp, felt her stagger under the onslaught. The water was rushing around him, through his mouth and nose and back out the open end, ready to tear him to shreds. 

But she didn’t let go.

He could sense upward movement, and then he was back in the air. Reflexively he gasped for breath he didn’t need, and looked around as best he could. Aiata was pulling herself into an upwards-travelling tunnel above them, Tamatoa already there and looking down, his expression panicked. 

_“Keep going!”_ she yelled at the other crab, and began to climb as well. Tuahangata could sense how tired, _exhausted,_ she was already. Her legs shook as she climbed, her other claw grasping with what looked like all of her strength to heave herself up.

Tuahangata realized that he was slowing her down. She was steadfastly climbing, yes, but she was still holding onto him - _she hadn’t let go!_ \- and without the use of all of her limbs her upward progress was hampered, and the water was catching up.

_Please don’t let go please don’t let go-_

There was a short, sharp drop as one of her legs slipped, and Tuahangata went swinging wildly by his hair. He watched Aiata grit her teeth and hauled herself back up. She was so _strong,_ he realized. Not just physically, though that - obviously - in spades. But such strength of mind, as well; she had gotten Tamatoa to safety, and she still hadn’t let go of Tuahangata himself… and she was still climbing.

He was yanked out of his admiration when he heard Tamatoa yell from above, _“Aiata, c’mon!”_ Tuahangata looked again at her face, saw the weariness, saw the decision before her: she could reach for her mate, but not so long as she still held him. But before the fear had even a chance to creep in, before he could process the consequences, she looked at him and whispered, _“Sorry about this.”_

And then he was in her mouth.

He was too startled to feel fear even now. She wasn’t chewing, she wasn’t swallowing; merely held him there. After a long moment of being too stunned to think, it occured to Tuahangata: she hadn’t let him go. She’d found a way to keep him safe. As safe as she could, at least.

In that moment, he dearly regretted ever having thought the worst of her, her mate, or any other monster, ever.

He could discern nothing of what was happening, now, only the scent (alright, in truth, the _stink_ ) of her breath and the stickiness of her saliva, and it stayed that way for several long minutes. Finally, her mouth cracked open and he was removed, then set upon wet, but _flat_ , ground.

They had escaped Maui’s attack. For now.

They were in another cave, he realized, but not subterranean; daylight spilled across from somewhere behind him. The scent was earthy, and his companions were still and quiet, low, exhausted murmurs proof that they were alright.

They had made it.

“I never want to see another drop of water in my life,” he commented, relief heavy in his voice.

\---

For a while, the crabs didn’t bother to get up or even to disentangle from each other.  They merely rested, trying to recuperate from everything and staying in close contact.They had barely caught a few hours of sleep before being forced to flee their home, after all.  And their escape had been taxing, to say the least. 

Tamatoa’s eyes were half closed, his head resting on Aiata’s claw, and he was on the edge of falling asleep when he heard her voice, tired yet steady.

“Any sign of Maui?”   It was a question clearly aimed at Tuahangata.

It was then that Tamatoa remembered _where they were_.  He had never ventured into the tunnels that they had escaped through, and Aiata had never taken him into them before today either.  He knew, however, that they led beyond her borders and into the rugged, mountainous territory that spanned most of the center of the island.

It was a territory that he had _never_ dared enter.  There was something _big_ that inhabited it.  Something _dangerous_.  He’d heard of it only in whispers, in rumor from the other monsters.  Once, when crossing the island many summers ago, he thought he had heard its hissing breath in the dark of night as he curved close to the mountains.

But, then again, maybe it had just been the wind.

Either way, Tamatoa had considered these mountains taboo since his youngest days, when he was just a drab little thing, dodging bigger monsters and lurking in the underbrush.  All monsters knew to stay away from them.

But Maui wouldn’t know about the danger these mountains posed.  It was unlikely to deter him.So, why would Aiata bring them here?

\---

His companions were quiet for long minutes before Aiata finally asked about Maui. Tuahangata had already been keeping watch, as well as he could at least, and was ready to answer.

“No, he’s back in the direction from which we came. North, was it? Still in the sky, still circling. He’s curving nearer now, though I do not think he will fly overhead.”

Just how far had they gone? The crabs could cover huge distances quickly, to be sure, but to have made it entirely outside of Maui’s searching pattern… If they weren’t where Maui expected them to be, then where were they now?

\---

“Good,” Aiata said.  “We’ll rest here a bit longer, then.  It’s hard country, further on.”

Tamatoa’s eyes opened the rest of the way, coming alert at her words, and he looked at her in surprise.  Had she been here before?She hadn’t told him about that.

He wanted to inquire further, but she was already asking a question of her own.  “Any chance he might think we drowned in there and give up?”

Tamatoa snorted.  “I doubt it.”

Maui was relentless.  At this point, it wouldn’t surprise Tamatoa if the mad demigod tore apart the whole island trying to find them.  Maui would want _proof_.  He’d want to _see_ them dead.

And then probably take bits of them for his necklace.  Like he had from Nuku.Like he had from Nākahi.

Tamatoa shuddered, mind recoiling at the thought of being on that necklace, too--just another trophy for Maui to display.

But then another thought bubbled up suddenly, blotting that disquieting notion out.  He looked at Tuahangata’s head.

“How did Maui do this?”

He knew the demigod could shapeshift and that he was strong, but he had no inkling that he could cause a _flood_.

\---

“I..” Tuahangata cleared his throat. “Well. Maui is the demigod of the wind and seas; he is so named because he has, somehow, developed a good rapport with the two on an elemental level. He has similar control over fire, though instead as a consequence of having stolen it from the Underworld. I’ve only seen him persuade the sea twice before, and _neither_ time was it for an injurious action.” He blinked, then swallowed. “Did I….” He felt abashed. This was information that could, potentially, have been _useful_ to his companions. “Did I neglect to disclose that?”  

He cringed, expecting harsh rebuke. His companions had nearly _died_ in that flood and even if he couldn’t have prevented it, they might have been better prepared for the possibility.

\---

Tamatoa’s eyes narrowed.  Tuahangata had _known_.  He had _known_ Maui could do this.  And had just _sat there_ , like a lump on a log, and silently held out on them.  And because of that, they had nearly _drowned_.  Their stronghold was gone, their food was gone, they were exposed and had nowhere to run.

He had nearly lost Aiata.

A growl built in Tamatoa’s throat, anger rising to cover up the fear that thought inspired.

“Yes, you did _neglect to disclose_ that,” he fired back.

There was no disguising the fury in his voice and, beside him, he felt Aiata stir.

The head was sitting out of his reach and Tamatoa was tired, but nevertheless he moved to get up and make a grab for it.  He didn’t know what he was going to _do_ when he got it, but he’d figure that out once he got there.  The moment he began to shift, however, he found Aiata’s legs were tangled too thoroughly with his own for him to rise.  And the more he tried to disentangle himself, the more he was stymied.His eyes turned, aghast, to her and she only smiled in return.

She wasn’t letting him up.

“Aiata!” he protested, exasperated.  “He’s been holding out on us!”Just like a demigod to be treacherous, duplicitous, untrustworthy--

“His warning _saved_ us,” she reminded him.

It did little to soothe the anger rising in Tamatoa, however.  And while he couldn’t get up to snatch the damn head for a proper threat, he _did_ glare furiously.  “What _else_ aren’t you telling us?” he demanded.

\---

Tuahangata quailed in the face of Tamatoa’s wrath. But only for a moment. Then a long-lost spark of anger flickered back up.

“Yes, at first, I was!” he fired back. “Back when I thought you were no better than _him!_ And even though I realize that error, now- there is _much_ that can be said about Maui. There isn’t time for _everything_ when most of it may not be relevant!”

He took a deep breath, tried to calm down. “When you first asked me questions, yes, I deliberately stymied the monster who helped Maui _cut off my head._ Now that I know that you are as harried as I, and more compassionate-” here, he looked right at Aiata, “-than I had ever believed, I _will_ endeavor to tell you what I know. However, I simply can _not_ compress thousands of years of knowledge into a few hours, especially when the two of you must sleep and… do _other_ things… in that time as well.”

He checked his sense of Maui’s whereabouts, eyes rolling up subconsciously to check the sky, despite the rock ceiling above them. “He’s still in the air, moving further away from us now. Curving east. How long he keeps looking will likely be determined by how many tunnels he can see overflowing with seawater. Eventually he will widen his circle and overtake us here; if he sees the seawater that is draining away from here, I would bet anything he’ll come looking.”

\---

The thought of Maui finding them was enough to quell some of Tamatoa’s anger.  And the reminder that Tuahangata was capable of pinpointing their enemy’s location helped push it back a little more.  A touch of Aiata’s antennae against his face took care of the rest.

Besides, he couldn’t _really_ argue.  Tuahangata had a point, much though it pained Tamatoa to admit.He let out a disgruntled huff, but let it drop.

Aiata loosened her hold on his legs.

“I’d hoped to wait for the cover of darkness before moving on,” Aiata said, pushing past the arguments and steering the conversation back to more important things.  She glanced down at the water, now reduced to a trickle, running across the cavern’s floor.“But you may be right.There are _many_ tunnel openings for him to check, though.  It should keep him busy for a while.”

Tamatoa could see her weighing options.  Her eyes flicked to his, then looked him up and down as if gauging his condition.

“Let’s rest a while longer, until sunset if we can,” she said finally.  She turned her gaze to Tuahangata.“Wake us if he starts circling this direction?”

\---

Tuahangata agreed, and watched as the two settled back into an uneasy sleep. They were clearly exhausted, and no wonder. 

Amidst the background noises of birds and insects and wind blowing amongst the greenery, he kept tabs on Maui, and wondered at the other demigod’s antics. He had not circled significantly closer to their huddle now, not enough to warrant waking the crabs but still worth keeping his wary attention focused. The circling eventually stopped, and was followed by what he could only describe as dips and jumps, more flight, and what may have been pacing. He didn’t draw near enough to worry… but he _was_ getting closer, in an incidental way. Tuahangata was certain Maui did not know where they were, but he _was_ looking.

Tamatoa was right, once again: Maui wanted _proof_ of their deaths. Not that Tuahangata had ever doubted that.

Aiata had hoped to retreat from this place under cover of dark, but Tuahangata eventually had to concede that it wasn’t going to happen. Maui was still far away, but moving closer; better to have plenty of time for a lengthy head start. Judging by the angle of light coming it, it would be dusk _soon_ ; it would have to do.

“Aiata, Tamatoa.” He did not shout to wake them; once in a day was quite enough already. “Maui is getting closer. I think it would be best to leave.”

\---

Maui swept wide circles across the land above the bluffs, watching from above as water bubbled out of many - _many_ \- points of entry.

Tamatoa did not appear. Neither of them did.

How long could monster crabs hold their breath? Probably not all that long. Maui spiralled in and out of the area, looking everywhere. Still, there was no sign of his enemies.

They had likely escaped. But _where?_ Maui had been searching from the bluffs to the foothills, well past the inland tunnels he had found and destroyed days prior. The sea was pouring from many openings in the earth; he trusted that it had entirely flooded the network of tunnels and caverns. But had it been fast enough to catch them unawares?

Maui swooped down then landed by the nearest water-bubbling entrance, the water on the surface splashing around his feet. He knelt and dipped his arm, palm open, into the opening before him. _Did you drown the monsters?_ he asked.

_There are only dead things in here,_ the sea replied.

That was not an answer to his question.

Maui thought silently for a moment, then sighed. No, though he had been hopeful to be done with this in one fell swoop, he hadn’t _actually_ expected it. Tamatoa and Aiata were both too canny, and had surely escaped. He stood and looked around. But escaped to _where?_

He had been circling the area. He would have seen it if they had emerged anywhere remotely near here, barring a few areas where he’d seen water but not tunnel openings. Those he would investigate first.

But, if those were dead ends…

...his eyes scanned around, then fell upon the tall mountains at the heart of the island. Well, that was as good a place as any to begin hunting.

\---

Tamatoa awoke to a gentle nudge and a quiet voice.  “Hey, time to wake up.”

It was an echo of more pleasant times, but as he opened his eyes to the unfamiliar cavern and the golden, slanting light of early evening, it was impossible to forget their current predicament.  Even so, Aiata was calm as she roused him from sleep.

“Maui’s coming, we have to get going.”

Calm, but not sparing any harsh realities.

She was already disentangling herself from him, rising to stand.  Once standing, she held a claw out to help him rise as well.Tamatoa took it and was pulled up.

“You okay to walk?”

Tamatoa nodded.  He felt steadier now and his balance was improving.  A little more _unhurried_ practice to adjust his balance and he might even be able to run and fight soon.

“Good, we’ve got a ways to go.”

Tamatoa quirked an eye at her.  “Where _are_ we going?”  There really wasn’t anywhere for them now.  His home was burned to cinders, hers was flooded to the brim.  They were homeless and adrift now, with no safe harbor remaining.

Aiata didn’t seem fazed, however.  Her answer was brisk and concise.“Into the mountains.”

His eyes widened.  Was she serious?She’d been on this island longer than he had, surely she knew the danger.  “But, what about--”

She cut him off before he could continue.  “Trust me.”

He _did_ trust her, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous just the same.  That said, however, he was far more afraid of _Maui_ than he was of any unseen behemoths.  If Aiata thought there was safety from Maui in the mountains, then into the mountains he would go.  She must have a plan, she _always_ had a plan.  There was a familiar determination in her eyes.  Yes, she had a plan.

“Just stick close and follow me,” Aiata instructed him, wasting no time on more soothing words.  Then she looked thoughtful.“Maui can assume a crab shape, but has he learned how to track?”

“Unfortunately, yeah,” Tamatoa replied, rueful.  “He found me at least once that way, though he’s no expert.”

If Aiata was surprised, she didn’t show it.  All business now, she issued further orders.“You’ll need to disguise our scent as best you can, then.”

Tamatoa nodded in agreement.  Of the two of them, he had far greater knowledge about the tricks and techniques to masking scents, he knew all the various plants and other things that would muddle and confuse a pursuer.

Then Aiata leaned down to pick up Tuahangata’s head.  She held it at eye level.“Keep alert for Maui, okay?” she asked him, before carefully setting him on her shell.

Then she addressed them both.  “Ready?”

Tamatoa nodded.  He was as ready as he would ever be.

\---

Maui flew from tunnel entrance to tunnel entrance, every opening that was hidden but betrayed by the flood of seawater. At each place he scouted the area and checked for signs of monsters, and spoke again with the sea, which was still holding itself steady in the subterranean labyrinth and preventing anything from going back in.

But he found nothing. No track, trace, scent or any other clue. Maui had been evaded.

There was frustration lurking beneath the surface, but of a different sort than he was used to. Now, he felt _challenged_. He hadn’t had to put so much work into accomplishing a task in over a hundred years. And it felt _good!_ The thrill of the hunt combined with the intrigue of a puzzle, and Maui was, despite his many failures of late, happier than he’d been in a long time.

Maybe he’d even kill Tamatoa quickly, just to share this good feeling with him.

At last the final entrance had been examined, and Maui was left to turn toward those mountains. The crabs _could_ be anywhere on the island, and it was a rather big island; but, when escaping floodwaters, humans would always seek higher ground, so it stood to reason that monsters would do the same. And how much higher ground could they get than mountains?

Still, no sense in wasting time and effort. He transformed back into his hawk form and launched himself into the sky, banking west and zig-zagging his way south, checking that area on his way.

At this rate, the sun would set by the time he made it into the mountains. Even his keen hawk-sight was of little use in the dark. When he got there, he’d have to use another method of searching.

Maui smiled at the prospect.

\---

Aiata lead them into the mountains.

The forest thinned out as they ascended, the jungle foliage giving way to low grasses.  Even those grew sparse as they climbed the darkened slopes.With the plants went their cover, leaving them exposed on the open terrain.  The sun was well down by the time they reached these areas, however, and they kept their own lights extinguished to travel in stealth.

Along the way, Tamatoa collected potent plants to mask their scent, making their trail difficult to follow.  He wasn’t the only one to snag a few bits of local flora, either.Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aiata reach out to collect something as well.  With a deft snip, she casually plucked a bunch of bananas from their leafy stem and set them on her shell beside Tuahangata’s head.Then she walked on without comment.

Tamatoa rolled his eyes.  He didn’t see why she was coddling that damn head.  Okay, _sure_.  Tuahangata had given them a warning that-- _okay, fine!_ \--had saved them today.  Still, though, he might have _told them_ what else Maui was capable of _before_ they had nearly been drowned.  But, even in his own thoughts, that argument sounded weak, so Tamatoa just huffed and let it go.

He was too concerned about what _else_ might be up here, anyway.  Aiata was striding forward, purposeful and without apparent fear, but Tamatoa was wary.  His eyes darted around nervously as they proceeded--looking for Maui, looking for the giant creature that inhabited these mountains, looking for danger _everywhere_.

As they climbed beyond the vegetation into the rocky black slopes, they passed the occasional steam vent, reeking of sulphur and bad air.  The hiss of those vents lingered, rising and falling like the earth itself was breathing.

Aiata kept going, though, and Tamatoa followed.  Walking was growing easier now; he had settled into a new rhythm and it was quickly becoming second nature.  He stumbled less and less as they moved on.With that steadiness of gait, his confidence began to trickle back in.

Unfortunately, Tamatoa was hungry now, too.  He knew well enough, however, that there would be nothing to eat.  If Maui had run the humans off, he had likely run everything else off as well.   _Again_.  Not that there would even _be_ anything to eat in the highest, lifeless regions of the mountains anyway.  Should he say something?He glanced at Aiata, who was still steadfastly walking on without complaint.  No, better not.

Soon enough, though, Aiata brought them to a stop outside a cavern.  It was dark inside, but Tamatoa could see that it lead into the mountain itself.  Oddly, a cool, damp breeze seemed to blow from within it and Tamatoa was about to ask about that when Aiata turned to face him.

She looked him straight in the eye.  “Tamatoa,” she began and her seriousness was immediately evident.  “Once we go in here, whatever you do… _don’t run_.”  She looked at Tuahangata’s head next.  “Show no fear.”

Tamatoa gulped, but managed to nod anyway.  That wasn’t exactly _reducing_ his fear at the moment, though.

She smiled and reached out with her antennae to brush against his, then turned and strode boldly into the cavern.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick heads up: This chapter clocks in at over 17k words!

There was just enough light as Maui flew over that he was able to spot…  _something._  Something that looked suspicious. He dropped into a landing to take a closer look.

The grasses and fallen leaves here had been scattered oddly, as though they’d been picked up by water then deposited. And, eyeballing the sizeable cavern he’d just discovered, that was a strong possibility; so long as there was a tunnel….

Yes, there was. And evidence of  _two large somethings_  that had escaped it and rested here.

Maui was right: the crabs weren’t dead yet.

He ignited the light within his hook and looked around, wandering back outside to find more track markers. However, he never had been the best at tracking (he’d always had someone else able to do it in his company) and, hook or no, it was too dark to see anything clearly.

A grin spread across his face: time to try his new shape out once again. “Chee hoo!” he called, fondly, as excitement for the hunt and fight returned to him; it had been too long since he took any real joy in what he did. Tamatoa had simply ruined  _everything.  
_

In the shape of a giant crab, he flicked his antennae about, trying to catch whiffs of scent. However, he couldn’t seem to find enough to follow any trail, just a hint here and there in the area in front of the cavern but nothing far enough out to follow, or even point him in the right direction. He frowned, looking around - then he realized just how good his night vision was.

Well! What a surprise! With eyes like these, who needed a sense of smell?

Looking back to the ground for clues, Maui set off into the mountains, impossibly long legs moving quickly.

\---

Tuahangata remained quiet for the better part of the evening and into the night, keeping his focus on Maui. The other demigod was, somehow, managing to stay an even distance away from them, but wasn’t following. If Tuahangata had to guess… Maui was on the right track but going the wrong way.

He kept his companions apprised of changes, but none were so dire that they needed to deviate from Aiata’s plan. And what a plan it must be, if Tuahangata had to guess, judging solely by Tamatoa’s behavior.

He was, admittedly, rather distracted from his duties when Aiata had presented him with a bunch of bananas. They smelled  _so good_  that his mouth began to water. Food!  _Edible_  food! 

He murmured his appreciation to his Chieftess even as he wondered… how was he going to approach consuming these? Still in the bunch and tough peels to work through, and all Tuahangata had to work with were his tongue, teeth, and lips.

Well, he figured, he wasn’t a fertility deity for nothing. Time to put his skills to good use.

He was quite surprised at how he felt  _full_  after working his way through most of the fruit. Not being in current possession of a stomach, it defied all sense that he should feel satiated. And yet, not only did he feel as though he’d feasted for a whole night… there was no physical evidence that he’d eaten at all.

Strange, but potentially a very encouraging sign. 

Before long the trio approached a rather sizeable cavern in the side of the mountain. Aiata turned to address himself and Tamatoa, and Tuahangata could see the crab’s fear spread wide across his face.

_“Don’t run,”_ she said.“Show no fear.”

Tuahangata didn’t think there was anything  _left_  for him to fear. He had so little left to lose, and one of those things currently carried him atop her back. He was a demigod besides, and had faced innumerable dangers before now. At this point, he would follow Aiata anywhere (lack of legs or no), even to hell and back. Here, on this mountain, on this island? 

How bad could it possibly be?

\---

They walked through the tunnel in silence.  The passageway was impossibly huge, more than twice as tall and wide as Aiata.  Tamatoa didn’t know what could have made a tunnel like this, but it must have been  _massive_.

He glanced at Aiata, who walked straight, true, and steadfastly forward.  Her face was set, determination in every line.  Even so, he could detect a slight whiff of her fear, in addition to his own, in the air.  She  _was_  afraid, but carried on regardless.

Well, he would just have to do likewise.  Tamatoa steadied himself, clenched his claws, and followed deeper into the mountain.

The breeze grew stronger as they progressed, cool and refreshingly humid with a fresh, clean scent to it.  That in itself was rather unusual for most subterranean caverns.  The source soon became apparent, however.  The tunnel widened drastically and there was a glimmer of moonlight ahead, illuminating the vast archway of another entrance.  They stepped through it and found themselves in the open air again.

Trepidation momentarily forgotten, Tamatoa gazed around himself in awe.  They stood on the floor of a massive crater--the long dead mouth of a giant, extinct volcano.  High, sheer walls rose around them, reaching towards the sky and tracing a ring around the blanket of stars overhead.  It was truly enormous, dwarfing even two crabs as large as he and Aiata.  And in the center, a vast lake of dark, still water caught the starlight--thousands of glittering, shining flickers of light echoed in reflection both above and below them across its impossible expanse.

It was  _beautiful_  and Tamatoa was transfixed.

Then the reflected stars blurred.  A faint tremor in the water rippled across its glassy surface, disturbing the peaceful wheel of the night sky overhead.

The spell of its beauty broken, Tamatoa stared down at the water with growing unease.  Aiata stepped closer to him and they shared a brief look before their eyes turned to fix on the water once more.

The ripples grew larger and there was movement beneath the surface, as if something truly immense was approaching where they stood on the lake’s shore.  Tamatoa’s antennae jerked as something brushed against him, but calmed as he realized it was just Aiata’s claw.  She grasped his own with hers, but whether it was to steady him or herself, Tamatoa couldn’t say.

The wake of water, gleaming faintly with pale moonlight, moved closer, and with greater speed.  Fear of the unknown creature approaching them threatened to overwhelm Tamatoa and he wanted to  _run_ , but he fought back the urge and stood rooted to the spot.

_Show no fear_ , Aiata had told him.  But it seemed all he had  _known_  was fear since the moment Maui had flipped him and torn his leg off.  Never before had he felt so  _helpless_ , so  _vulnerable_.  The confidence and the cocksure, reckless nerve he had long possessed had withered in the face of such a terrible defeat, torn from the cusp of victory just as surely as his leg.  In its place, he was adrift, nervous and afraid, and had left it up to Aiata to carry them forward.

He would have to face his fears.  He would have to--

_What the hell was that?!  
_

The water erupted upwards, white froth boiling up as something immeasurably gigantic burst forth.  Tamatoa stared, wide-eyed, as a long, scaly neck soared into the skies.  It towered over them at such a scale that he almost couldn’t comprehend it.  He’d never seen  _any_  living creature so massive.

When his eyes finally finished traveling up the length the neck, he saw the heavy, reptilian head that sat upon it.  Glowing, iridescent blue eyes with slit pupils stared down at them.  A long tongue, lit with deep red, draped from a mouth bristling with enormous, curving fangs--large enough to snap  _both_  of them up in one casual bite.  Streaks of bioluminescent blue and green flared to life in the dark.  They decorated the creature’s face in tight, intricate patterns, then flowed in long strokes down its neck and along its spine, where short, curving spikes ran dorsally down its back, until vanishing under the lake’s surface.  Two massive, muscular forearms, both ending in grasping hands with wicked claws that were larger than either himself or Aiata, emerged from the water and planted themselves on either side of the two crabs on the shore, boxing them in.

It took all Tamatoa’s will not to flee as the behemoth stared down upon them.  This was death, surely.  There was no  _fighting_  a creature this large; there was no  _escape_  from it.  There was only the  _inevitable_.  And in the face of that, there was some small measure of peace.  At least  _this_  death would be quick and he wouldn’t end up as a trophy on Maui’s necklace.

Tamatoa squeezed his eyes shut, gripped Aiata’s claw tighter, and waited for the worst.

Then a voice boomed out.

“Well now, what is  _this_  on the shore of my lake?  Crabs?  How unusual.”

The voice was a deep, rumbling baritone, and yet it was clearly feminine.

Tamatoa cracked one eye open, then the other.  His field of vision was  _immediately_  filled with the massive creature’s head, many times larger than his whole body and staring straight at them.  He hadn’t felt so small and insignificant since he was a tiny thing, still wearing a borrowed snail shell, dodging humans and evading their hunting snares.

The tongue flicked out, agonizingly close to them.  Tamatoa held himself steady, though, and didn’t flinch.

“What crabs are these that stand without fear in my domain?  Have they come to challenge my guardianship?”

_Guardianship?  Wait..._   

Suddenly, Tamatoa knew what he was looking at.  This was a  _taniwha!_   He had only heard of them in legend and rumor, but he knew they were fierce, dangerous monsters who typically acted as guardians of certain, special places in the world.  He had  _no idea_  they got this  _big_ , though.  Nor had he realized that there was one  _here_ , on their island.  What on earth was it guarding?

While his thoughts raced, Aiata was busy answering.  Her voice was bold and strong, even if he could feel her claw trembling as it held his own.  “I am Aiata and this is Tamatoa,” she declared.  “And we’ve come to--”

The taniwha didn’t let her finish.  “Oh, but there is  _another_  with you,” the creature hissed, voice going sharp with ferocious rebuke.  “You dare bring a  _demigod_  here?!”

The gargantuan head came closer to Aiata, who somehow stood firm and without flinching.  One giant eye focused on where Tuahangata’s severed head sat on her shell.  Tamatoa’s free claw opened, held low before him.  It would be suicide to attack such a creature, but nevertheless he was prepared to defend Aiata anyway.

But the taniwha wasn’t interested in her at the moment, instead it glared at Tuahangata.  “Who are  _you_ , monster-killer?”

\---

The leviathan was so big, so  _humongous_ , that Tuahangata could not roll his eyes back far enough to see all of it as it towered over them; only a long, scaled  _something_  that filled his entire field of vision. In that moment before it spoke, he realized that he was, at best, insignificant in its presence.

Or so he thought, right up until she addressed him directly.

His mouth dry, Tuahangata nevertheless managed to find words. He dearly hoped they were the correct ones to speak.

“I am Tuahangata, demigod of the rains and harvest,” he called up, his voice firm despite his trepidation. “I am a ‘monster-killer’ no longer, and am nothing in the face of your majestic presence, o great taniwha.” Hey, a little flattery never hurt.

_And it is not like it isn’t true_ , he thought as her single eye bored straight into his soul.

\---

The taniwha looked down Tuahangata with a narrowed eye, taking in his abbreviated stature.  Then her scaley lip curled in a smirk.

“I don’t imagine you can kill  _anything_  now, no.”  Then the eye turned fierce, burning with a cold fire.  “But you’re not the only demigod on this island, are you?  There is another.  I know  _that one_.  A murderous beast with an empty hole in his heart.  Are you not in league with your  _fellow demigod?_ ”

Aiata released Tamatoa’s claw and stepped up quickly, before Tuahangata or Tamatoa could say a word, to face the taniwha.  “He’s not,” she assured the enormous creature, coming to Tuahangata’s defense.  “He’s helping us  _against_ Maui.”

The massive head shifted, eyes turning to focus on Aiata.  Tamatoa tensed, his claws moving restlessly as Aiata came under such intense scrutiny.  But he need not have worried.  The immense guardian serpent made no move to attack, merely examining her with a critical eye.

“You,” the taniwha began slowly.  “You are the crab who lives in my old tunnels.”

That gave Tamatoa pause and for a moment he stopped to consider that.  He had often wondered just how those tunnels came to be, as they were far larger than any normal lava tubes or caverns.  They were far too complex to be wholly natural, too.  Had the taniwha created them?  She must have long outgrown them if she had, for they were far too small for her now.  How long had this creature been here?

“You’ve taken poor care of them,” the taniwha sniffed.  “They’re flooded.  With damage like that, it’s a wonder the whole island didn’t sink.”

“That’s why we’re here.   _Maui_  did this.  He destroyed  _both_  our homes.”  Aiata glanced at Tamatoa.  “He tore my mate’s leg off.  He severed Tuahangata’s head.  He’s pursuing us still.  And we’re out of options.  We have nowhere to go.”

The taniwha gave her an appraising look.  “You are bold, to come here for help.  Bold, or desperate.  I am  _Koera_  and few indeed have stood before me without fear, fewer still came seeking aid.”  She pulled her head back to look at them all together.  “You wish to pass into Lalotai?”

Tamatoa’s antennae shot up and he turned his startled gaze upon Aiata.  Is that what she had in mind?   _Lalotai?_   Tamatoa had never even  _seen_  Lalotai, the ancestral home of all monsters.  He had been hatched in the surface seas and, once he had come ashore, had known no home except their island.  Lalotai was a place he knew of only in whisper and rumor.  He hadn’t even been aware that there was a passage to the mythic realm on this island.  To even consider fleeing to that unknown realm spoke loudly to how dire their situation truly was.

Aiata hesitated before replying.  “Would we be safe from him there?”

Surprisingly, the taniwha’s eyes softened.  “That monster-killer is no stranger to Lalotai,” she said sadly, pity in her expression.  “Despite the efforts of we guardians, he has found ways to get there many times before and likely will again.  I have removed him from Lalotai myself once before, but he always manages to sneak back in.”

Aiata’s antennae sagged and her face fell.

There was no escape, then.  They would find no safety  _anywhere_.  They were as good as trapped.   _Trapped!  
_

Wait a minute…  A  thought occurred to Tamatoa and before it was even fully formed, he blurted it out.  “What if we  _trapped_  him somewhere?”

Aiata turned to him, antennae perking back up.  “Trap him how?”

It was Tamatoa’s turn to hesitate now.  “Uhh, I’m not sure.”  The idea hadn’t even had time to settle, but he just let the words roll off his tongue as they came to him.  “If we can just keep him from following us...”

“He‘s a demigod, though.  He can shapeshift, the Sea rises at his whims,” Aiata pointed out.  “He flooded our tunnels and I could hear some collapsing and—“

Abruptly, she fell silent mid-sentence.  Her eyes widened.  She looked up at the taniwha, who was watching their exchange with interest.

“What you said about the tunnels... Could this island really  _sink?_ ” Aiata asked the giant creature.

The taniwha, Koera, rumbled a laugh.  “This island has always been unstable.  The balance has always been precarious.  It would take very little to upset it all.”  The glowing eyes shifted to peer at Tamatoa, as if looking straight into his soul, and he struggled not to flinch under the heavy gaze.

“Uhh--”  He fought to find his voice, lost while pinned by those eyes.  “Even if we sank it and fled to Lalotai, he would just fly away and come after us there.”

“Not if we get his hook first,” Aiata piped up, eyes sharpening and meeting his own with a meaningful look.

_The fang._   If he could just immobilize Maui long enough to steal the hook… 

A grin dawned on his face.  Feeling bolder as the seeds of a plan began to sprout, he tilted his eyestalks to look up at the immense taniwha.  “So, how can we make the island sink?”

Koera looked down at him, arching a scaly brow.  “You would destroy this entire island, your home, just to stop this rogue demigod?”

He and Aiata exchanged a glance.  There was a steely determination in Aiata’s face and it bled over to his own.  “Yes,” they replied in unison.

The taniwha gave them a long, assessing look.  Moments passed in heavy silence and Tamatoa’s blood nearly froze in anticipation as he awaited her judgement.  Then Koera’s lips pulled back from her fangs in a smile.  “So would I.”

Relief washed through him.  Maybe they might survive this after all.

In short order, Koera had explained to them what they must do.  She had also granted them permission to shelter on the shores of her crater lake, a temporary refuge from Maui, in the interim.

But there would be little time for that.

As the taniwha retreated back under the surface of the water, Aiata got to business immediately.

“Can you make it to the lowlands on your own?” she asked him.

Tamatoa hesitated for a moment.  He had spent the entire day getting his balance back, building a working gait from what legs remained to him.  But could he make it back to his own territory?

“Yes.”

Aiata smiled fondly at him.  “Good.  You know what we need.  Go get it.  Then meet us back here by dawn.”  She swiveled her eyestalks to look at Tuahangata.  “You’ll come with me.  We’ll lead Maui away from here, keep him off of Tama’s trail.”

Tamatoa’s eyes widened.  “What?  No--”

Aiata didn’t let him even begin to protest.  “You’ll need every advantage.  Don’t worry about me.”  She didn’t sugarcoat the next part, though.  “But be ready to fight when you get back.”

Tamatoa’s insides squirmed.  Aiata was putting herself in danger to give him time to get the fang and he didn’t like it, but she was right.  On top of that, the prospect of fighting Maui again was terrifying and he wasn’t sure he was  _ever_  going to be ready for that.  This was their only chance, though.  One last shot.

“Okay,” he conceded, much though he hated to.  “But be careful.”

Aiata stepped close, until their faces were only inches apart, and slowly wrapped her antennae around his.  They stayed that way for long moments, exchanging softly murmured words beside the lake full of stars.

Finally, they seperated with great reluctance.  “Good luck,” Aiata told him.

“You too.”

Then they turned and started off.

As Tamatoa began his trek down the mountainside towards his burned out territory, he heard Aiata speaking to Tuahangata behind him.  “So, you’re a demigod of the rains, are you?  How about a little cover?”

Then she was gone.

\---

“That I am,” Tuahangata affirmed. “And that I can do.”

It was a fair bit more difficult without his whole body, harder to focus the energy and to concentrate on the moisture all around. Difficult, but not impossible. Within minutes clouds had coalesced above them, and a light rain began to fall.

Tuahangata glanced skyward, judging the atmosphere. “It is a bit thin at the moment, but the rain will increase in time. It may  _keep_  increasing until we have torrents, if I do not stop it first.”

He fidgeted for a moment, then spoke again. “I must say, Chieftess, you possess a surfeit of courage to face a taniwha, particularly one of such….  _stature._ Have you encountered her before?” He was curious to find out how Aiata had known there was such a powerful creature on this island.

\---

Aiata’s eyestalks canted upwards as the first sprinkles began to fall.  She smiled.  “The more the better,” she said.  “It’ll keep  _birds_ \--”  Particularly shapeshifting hawks.  “--out of the air and our scent off the ground.”

She turned a grateful eye back to Tuahangata.  “Thank you.”

Moving quickly, she headed down the slope the opposite direction from that Tamatoa had taken.  “As for the taniwha… well, yes.  I  _had_  seen her before.”  She looked thoughtfully out into the rain, remembering.  “I was hunting up there in the mountains, but the ones I was hunting found  _her_  first.”  She cast a look over her shoulder at Tuahangata again.

“They showed fear.”

Aiata left the rest unsaid.  She still remembered what had happened to the band of sloth monsters which had cowered before the taniwha.  Needless to say, she’d needed to do her hunting elsewhere that night.  Everything else that she had learned about the taniwha, Aiata had pieced together over time and with further exploration.

“But this wasn’t courage,” she told him plainly.  “Just necessity.”

She had, after all, been terrified of the creature beneath her calm facade.  Her pincers had shook the entire time.  Only having Tama near had steadied her.  Observing such a creature from afar was far different from  _confronting_  one up close.  Tonight had been a gamble of frightfully long odds, and a desperate one at that, to try and approach the enormous guardian.  The stakes were unbelievably high, but they had so few options left to them that she’d had to take the chance.  Thankfully, it had paid off.  But as far as Aiata was concerned, she had merely done what needed to be done.

And now she would do so again.

As the rain began to fall harder, she went silent and her eyes closed for just a moment as she centered herself, prepared for the chase to come.  When her eyes opened again, she was ready.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

She let her bioluminescence glow to life, lines of purple and red curling wickedly across her face.

“Where’s Maui?”

\---

From up in the mountains, it was easy to spot his territory even in the dark and the rain.  Rather than the gleam of moonlight on wet foliage, there was nothing but a long, black scar across the land.  Tamatoa had never been up in these mountains, but he would have little trouble finding his way down to his ruined home.  He hurried down the slope.  While the night was still young and it was a shorter distance to his territory from here, there was nevertheless little time to waste if he wanted to be back before dawn.

Besides, he needed the practice moving at speed.  Tamatoa needed to be able to  _run_  and to  _fight_.  Otherwise, he’d never survive getting close enough to Maui to do what needed to be done.  So, he barreled down the hillside as fast as he could without stumbling, pushing himself harder and working hard to get his legs accustomed to moving in the new pattern.

He kept alert, checking the skies, tasting the air, and listening for any sign of Maui over the sound of the falling rain.  There was no indication that the demigod was anywhere near, however.  It was of little comfort to Tamatoa, though.  If Maui wasn’t  _here_ , it meant he was likely pursuing Aiata.  And while that might be the intended plan, it still made Tamatoa uneasy.  Aiata was more than capable, of course.  She was a warrior through and through, brilliant and fierce in battle.  But Maui was so  _dangerous_.  He had killed Nākahi and Nuku and the mantis shrimp, whose name Tamatoa had never known, and the lizard creature in the hills.  Tamatoa couldn’t help but worry.

All the more reason to hurry.

The rain was still pouring down when he finally made it to the lowlands.  His heart twinged to see the wreckage of his former home.  It was utterly destroyed.  Where once there were verdant, lush forests full of life, there was now nothing but dismal, charred tree trunks and ash.  The rain had turned that ash to mud, a smokey-smelling slurry that clung to Tamatoa’s legs as he pushed through it.

The landscape would have been unrecognizable to most, but Tamatoa knew every inch of this piece of land.  There was no cover here, so he rushed quickly through the wasteland to his destination.  He had buried the krait’s fang in the most secretive place in all his territory, a place that even Aiata had never seen.  It was nondescript from the surface, just a wide, sandy clearing in what was once an airy forest, but concealed beneath the sand, there was a well-hidden cavern.  This was where Tamatoa hid himself to molt every few decades.  It was the safest place he knew.

Upon arrival, he immediately began to dig.  Large pincers shoveled wet dirt away at a furious pace, taking no care to disguise the excess that he flung behind him.  There was no need for secrecy now; he would never molt here again.  Once he struck the stone slab which covered the cavern’s entrance, he grabbed it and heaved it aside with similar lack of concern.  Rain poured down into the opening, dripping all around and pooling in the mud where Tamatoa stood, peering into the dark cavern.

There it was, right where he left it.  The little package was unmolested and the banana leaf wrappings unbroken.  Tamatoa retrieved it, carefully unwrapping it to inspect the gleaming white fang.

It still brimmed with amber venom.

Tamatoa smiled nastily, already imagining the venom doing its work and his enemy writhing before him.  With that pleasant thought held in mind, he quickly re-wrapped it and carefully tucked it onto his shell.  His eyes turned up towards the mountains again where Aiata would be waiting.

Time to get moving.

\---

Tuahangata may have blushed when Aiata thanked him. Certainly it was too dark for anyone to be sure.

He listened to her story without comment, and counted her lucky that she had not been the unfortunate soul to stumble across Koera unawares.

“It is only in the face of fear that we may know true courage,” he remarked, and smiled. “Don’t sell yourself short. Especially since what you’re planning to do is  _almost_  as fearful as what we just went through.” Maui, at least, wouldn’t eat him, but if Koera had swallowed his head… well, the shark had been proof he could survive digestion, but the taniwha was near-infinitely bigger than that shark. Tuahangata did not want to think about the implications of that; it was an unsetling prospect too dire to consider.

“Maui is in the valley between this mountain and the next, and a little ahead of where we are now, in line from the tunnel we emerged from. A quarter turn to your left will take us near enough. He is moving too fast to be in his human shape; be careful.”

\---

Traipsing around these mountains was a far different experience as a giant, monstrous, glowing crab than it was as a human. It was actually pretty fun. Out for blood or not, Maui found himself having a remarkably good time stepping over boulders and knocking down trees, just because he could. He was keeping his senses alert for his quarry, however, and was just thinking he might need to retrace his steps and start over when it began to rain, and, trail or no, his sense of smell was effectively doused.

Maui paused. This was unexpected; the skies had been clear while the sun was up, and it wasn’t  _that_  windy out…

He looked up at the sky, as if staring at the clouds might make the rain stop. It didn’t, of course. He lowered his eyes to look ahead, ready to continue his search.

\---

Aiata nodded in silent acknowledgement, then turned to follow the track Tuahangata had described.  From her vantage point above the valley floor, she scanned across the land for any sign of Maui.  The rain made it difficult to pick out details, but she thought she saw a flicker of movement--trees swaying farther than wind alone would account for.  Then a tree fell further on.  And more swayed a bit farther still.  It lined up fairly closely with what Tuahangata had told her.

That must be him.

Adjusting her course to intercept the line of motion, Aiata picked her way down into the valley and moved swiftly into the treeline as the rain began to come down harder.  As she got closer, she could see a faint glow of light in the trees ahead.  Her eyes narrowed.

Antennae reached out, testing the air.  The rain may wash away scent trails on the ground, but a skillful crab could still pick up a faint whiff of their quarry in the air.  Indeed, she picked him up right away.  His scent was different, overlaid with another, but now that she knew better what to look for, it was easily recognizable as Maui.

He had assumed the shape of a giant crab again.

Well, she’d just have to show him what a  _real_  crab could do.

Silently, she doused her lights and swung wide around to get in behind him.  He was easy to tail, leaving a wide swath of destruction behind him as he knocked down trees and cleared a path big enough to accomodate for his larger size.

She could see him clearly now, shaped like a crab twice Tamatoa’s size and nearly twenty feet taller than herself.  He was all aglow, colored in a sickly scheme of green, orange, and yellow.  The imitation crab was knocking down another tree and not paying nearly enough attention.

Her heart sped up, a slow fire flooding through her limbs as she grew closer.  This was it.

Carefully, she reached back to pick up Tuahangata’s head.  She gave him a thin, tense smile, then tucked him behind her neck, wedging him securely between her shell and shoulder where he was less likely to tumble off.

Then she lowered her stance, bringing her claws up.  Tension filled every limb.  Another silent step brought her closer.  Antennae quivered.  Then another step.  Her blood raced through her, awash with adrenaline.  One more step.

Aiata charged.

She was silent, with no roaring warcry to herald her arrival.  Only the sudden flare of her bioluminescence, blazing back to life in a riot of color, marked her attack.  Her claws darted out, each closing around one of Maui’s rear walking legs.  Bracing her own legs against the wet earth, she clamped down with crushing force and  _yanked_  backwards.

\---

Maui was just reaching up to knock down another tree when his legs were pulled out from underneath him, yanked backwards. He fell too quickly to make any noise, despite the bruising grip holding him. He looked behind him to find Aiata; she had, apparently, snuck up behind him.

Hiding his surprise and pain, Maui quirked his eyes and grinned at her, making no move to get back up. “Why, Aiata, how forward of you,” he crooned. “Is Tamatoa not  _up_  to the task anymore? Thought I’d be a decent replacement?”

His grin morphed to a smirk. “Hate to break it to you, but I just don’t  _swing that way.”  
_

In a flash he transformed back to his human skin. No longer held by Aiata’s formidable claws, he spun and leapt toward her, swinging with his hook and catching it against one claw, knocking the pincer away and knocking Aiata off balance. 

Maui dove in for another slashing swipe….

\---

Aiata ignored the insulting banter.  Talk, talk, talk.  She was here on  _business_ , but Maui was yapping even as she tried to drag him back and flip him over.

His sudden shift and follow up blow threw her off, however, and she had to grip the earth with all her legs to keep from toppling.  She recovered quickly and leapt backwards to avoid his next slash.  He was so  _fast_ , though, and she still had to throw a claw up to block his hook.  The sharp barb of it left a long, painful gouge across the flat of her pincer.  It hurt, but she grit her teeth and refused to let it show.

As insulting as his crab shape was, Aiata rather wished he’d have stayed in it now.  Beating sense into pushy crabs came naturally to her, but defeating a small, fast enemy with a deadly weapon and supernatural strength was far more challenging.

Her goal wasn’t to  _defeat_  him in a fight, though, just to keep him busy and away from Tamatoa.

So, she wheeled around and darted back into the forest.  

\---

Maui watched as Aiata disappeared as suddenly as she’d attacked. He swung his hook over his shoulder and chuckled, standing there in the rain. She wanted him to follow her, that much was obvious. Another trap, perhaps? One far more dire, he guessed; likely an attempt to kill him. She wouldn’t have needed to get his attention if all she had to do was to get away, like last time.

Maui wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t go rushing blindly in  _again_.

“Ai-a-taa!” he called. “If you want me to follow you, I’m waiting for a more polite invitation. Care to come try that again?”

He ran and jumped into the nearest tree, switching to his small-but-fast lizard form midair and landing up in the thinner branches. The rain was a mixed blessing: he couldn’t use his insect form and flying as a hawk would be difficult if the rain picked up much, but it would also help dissolve his scents, making it that much harder for her to find him as he waited, hidden and lurking, up above.

\---

Aiata had run only a few strides before she heard Maui’s shout.  She darkened her lights and came to a stop, antennae alert.  Oh, Maui didn’t want to chase her after she’d lead him into a nest of bats?  He wanted to stay put and lure her back into a trap of his own?

She smiled, teeth gleaming and on full display.

This was a game she would  _much_  rather play.  Running all night was tiresome.  Shadow games were more her style and far more enjoyable.  And, unbeknownst to Maui, she had a secret weapon.

An eye curved back to Tuahangata and, in a low whisper, she asked, “Where is he?”

\---

Tuahangata murmured, quiet lest his voice carry too far. “He’s likely in a tree near where we found him. He may not be in his human skin anymore; be careful.” The other demigod was too unpredictable to guess what he was thinking, but he trusted that between Aiata and himself, they could fend the monster off.

\---

Maui waited patiently. Aiata would return, or she wouldn’t. And if she didn’t…

He looked off into the dark, rainy night. If she didn’t, there were other crabs to catch. There was no rush. Their food was gone, and if need be, everything on this island would burn to flush them  out.

Yes, Maui would be patient.

\---

Aiata flicked her antennae in acknowledgement, then set off in a curving track around where she had initially found Maui.  Following Tuahangata’s guidance with slow, careful steps, she stalked silently through the rain-soaked trees towards her target.  Eyes scanning the trees, she looked for anything at all unusual.

Scents washed away swiftly from surfaces in the downpour and didn’t travel quite so far in the air either, but she could just make out a hint of him as she circled back in.  It was mixed, yet somewhat familiar.  But what?

Aha!  A flicker of movement in the trees caught her eye, moving distinctly different from the sway of leaves in the wind.  It was an unusual lizard, hidden among the upper branches and turning to look into the forest.  That was Maui, she was sure of it.

The lizard was far too small to get a good grip on with her claws and, besides, he would just shift to something else and evade her hold again.  No, she’d have to try something different.

She gauged the surroundings, searching until she found exactly what she wanted.  Then she adjusted her position, slipping quietly around to another spot.  Adjacent to the lizard’s perch across the clearing, there was an enormous  _uru_  tree, tall and broad with many branches and thick leaves.  It would do nicely.

Aiata lined up the angle, then took hold of the trunk and began to push.  It was a sturdy tree, likely quite old, and its roots clung tenaciously to the earth, but it was no match for Aiata’s strength.  When she felt it begin to give, she paused and waited for the right moment.

At last, there was a flash of lightning.  She waited a few seconds for the inevitable rumble in the clouds, then she shoved  _hard_  on the weakening trunk.  The creak and splinter of shattering wood was buried within the roll of thunder.  The tree fell fast, descending straight into the branches where Maui was concealed.

\---

There was little to hear over the rain, but Maui didn’t mind. Little to see in the darkness, but it wasn’t like he was looking.

Instead he waited. 

He had a hunch Aiata was near. Hints of scent picked up when he flicked his tongue, and a general sense of  _closeness_ , but nothing solid. Maui wasn’t worried about it.

The first fork of lightning danced across the sky. Maui watched it, then waited for the inevitable roll of thunder. This would be the perfect time for-

A crashing noise reached him - coming from  _very_  close by! 

He didn’t hesitate, and leapt to the ground right as the branches of another tree fell onto his own. He  _almost_  switched forms out of old habit, but in a split second decided to try something new.

He landed, hitting the ground hard and then letting the momentum  _bounce_  him along the ground a few times, in case she was watching. Then he lay still as a rock.

It seemed unlikely that Aiata would fall for the bait. Then again, all she had to do was get close enough to check.

\---

After pushing down the tree, Aiata had stepped swiftly back, anticipating retaliation.  But none was forthcoming.  Nor was there any telltale flash of a shape change.  Her gaze swept across the area, looking for--ah!  There he was!

Maui was playing dead on the ground not far from where the tree had landed, laying motionless in his lizard shape.  Well, Aiata knew perfectly well now that demigods couldn’t be killed.  So she wasn’t about to fall for this nonsense.

Instead, she quietly stalked around to another side of the cleared space, moving away from the felled tree.  Sticking to the shadows, she kept silent and still, but remained on high alert.  Her eyes were trained on the fallen lizard, waiting patiently for him to move.

Her goal was to keep him busy and away from Tamatoa, so there was no hurry to engage him if he wanted to lay there in the mud.  There was still quite a while until dawn, so the longer she could stall him, the better.

\---

On the other side of the island, Tamatoa quickly realized that he should have paid more attention on the journey down from the mountains, because now he was having a hard time finding his way back up in the dark, pouring rain.  It was unfamiliar ground in these mountains and the rain was easily washing away his own scent from the way down.

Nevertheless, he pressed on.  It was the highest mountain, right?  With the biggest crater?  Surely if he kept climbing  _up_ , he would eventually find it again.  So, he kept going.

It was a steep climb, though, and the hills were slick with mud.  As the rain ran down, Tamatoa found himself slipping and fighting to keep his balance, hampered by his missing leg once again.  Twice he nearly lost his footing, sliding in the mud.  Finally, he realized that he needed to find a gentler slope to get back up there.

He cut east, crossing back into the hills where the mantis shrimp had lived.  The angle of the hills was less extreme here and he could get a little more traction.  When he next stumbled, however, it was not mud that tripped him up.  This time his leg had caught on something.

Tamatoa stepped aside and reached down, delicately plucking the item--a long wooden shaft--from where it was impaled in the earth.  It was a spear, solidly built and ending in a deceptively blunt stone spearhead.

Tamatoa recognized it immediately.  It was  _Tuahangata’s_  spear.  It must have been forgotten, left behind after the fight.  Tamatoa had been exhausted after that battle and hadn’t cared enough to take it and Maui had seemed more concerned about making off with the other demigod’s body to worry about abandoned weaponry.

Well, Tamatoa  _would_  take it now.  The damn magic stick had some sort of power to it, so it might prove useful.  Besides, he’d rather take it then let it fall into enemy hands.  Thus decided, he stuck it on his shell beside the wrapped fang.  Then Tamatoa frowned.  The two weapons were highly visible against the delicately shaded blues and purples of his shell.  They’d be instantly spotted, even at a distance.  He was going to have to conceal them somehow, as he’d rather not lay his plans bare before Maui.  Honestly, he didn’t fully trust Tuahangata’s head, either.  His experiences with demigods had made him wary.  What if the spear gave Tuahangata some sort of power again and he decided that he’d rather kill them than help?  Tamatoa still remembered quite vividly the pain of having that spear plunged into his flesh and the agony as it had broken through his exoskeleton.

No, he’d have to hide them both and hide them  _from_  both.

He wasn’t sure how, though.  He would have to figure it out on the way.  For now, he had to keep moving.

\---

Well, fun as it was laying in the mud as the rain poured down around and on top of him, Maui soon became ready to do something else. Aiata wasn’t falling for it; time to try something new.

_Big or small?_  he wondered.

He rolled over, and in a flash of light he resumed his gigantic crab form. He’d been getting better at it, learning how to use his size and strength as he pushed the trees around. Plus, it was genuinely  _fun._  This shape was still new, and he was enjoying making use of it.

Aiata would do whatever she was gonna do; but he, Maui decided, was gonna run up that mountain.

\---

Aiata was tense and ready when the brilliant flash of light seared through the night, heralding another shapeshift from the demigod.  The clearing was instantly filled with the shape of another giant crab, again colored in the pallid glow of greens and yellows.

She was already in motion when Maui began to sprint past her up the side of the mountain.  Her own colors blazed to life as she leapt after him, claws outstretched and aiming for the trailing rear pincers of her opponent.

\---

Maui had not gotten very far along his new trajectory when a glow of light flashed against the wet foliage around him. He swivelled an eye to look behind him just in time to see Aiata, her bioluminescent glow blazing, lunging for him again. He planted a heavy pincer into the ground and pivoted, swinging around with the other claw coming in for a heavy strike.

\---

Maui’s rear pincer was nearly within her grasp when the larger crab spun around to attack.  She attempted to dodge, but she was just too close.  His claw slammed into her with brutal, bruising force and she snarled in pain as the heavy blow knocked her sideways, sending her skidding through the mud.  Her legs dug in, however, and braced to keep her from toppling over.  But she had only just begun to turn back to the fight when he was coming at her again.

\---

Maui kept up the momentum of his spin as Aiata was knocked away, raising a leg to follow through with a solid kick, aiming to take her legs out from under her.

\---

Aiata saw Maui’s leg sweeping out to strike at her just as she turned to face him.  Her claw flashed out, grabbing his leg at the first joint.  She squeezed  _hard_ , right on the delicate joint, and jerked the leg forward.  In the same smooth motion, she whipped her other claw forward in an uppercut, aimed at his chin.

\---

Maui’s head snapped up in a sudden, painful crack as Aiata’s blow struck him, even as he wobbled in pain, off-balance from her crushing grip on his leg.

Snarling in anger, he threw his weight back around to face her and tossed boths arms up to arc through the air, both claws swinging back down, one right after the other, to deliver consecutive hits from above.

\---

Aiata let go of Maui's leg as both his claws descended towards her.  Her first instinct was to duck her head away, but to do so would reveal Tuahangata tucked against her shoulder.  All she could do was grit her teeth and bear the pain as his claws slammed down onto her shell, missing her head by mere inches.  She staggered under the impact and nearly fell, but somehow managed to stay up with a desperate bracing of her legs.

But now Maui was above her, his claws over her shoulders--a dangerous position.  To shake him off, she pushed forward, lowering her stance and shoving all of her weight into his chest in one hard rush to flip him or, at the very least, knock him aside.

\---

The hard shove caught Maui off-guard, and, already unbalanced from his wild swing, he found himself falling sideways. He made a quick grab for Aiata’s shell, meaning to drag her along with him, but he was going down too quickly to gain traction, instead leaving a short pair of scratches behind.

Well, this jig was up; he was clearly outclassed when it came to crab-fights, even with his superior height and weight. 

Right before he would have crashed into the ground, Maui transformed back to his human skin, landing on his feet and immediately jumping forward again, hook ready to slash. It had all happened in the span of a second, maybe two; he was still  _so close_ , she was  _right there_ , and his bloodlust was rising….

\---

Satisfyingly, Maui began to go down.  He might  _look_  like a crab, but he didn’t fight like one and that worked in Aiata’s favor.

Until, of course, the sudden flash of light that marked another shape change.  The demigod vanished into the heavy rain and before she could get a bead on him in his new form, there was a fiery streak of pain down her neck.  She let out an agonized howl as his hook bit into her soft flesh, leaving a long, deep gash from the side of her face and trailing down across her throat.  Blue blood welled up fast, mixing with the rain as it ran down from the wound.  Any deeper and the injury might well have been fatal.

Before Maui could get another follow up strike in, she swiped viciously at him with a claw to bat him away.  She’d let him draw her in too close.  Knowing that she couldn’t win against him this way, she spun around, darkened her lights, and made a fast break for the trees.

\---

Maui went flying, hitting a nearby tree with a loud thump. He dropped to the ground with a snarl, ready to charge back into the fray and continue the fight.

Aiata was gone.

He pulled up short, restraining himself and taking a deep, settling breath. Aiata was collateral, but not his main target. She was harrying him, delaying and distracting him, but she wasn’t going to stop him.

Maui turned back up the mountain, and began running. He just needed to get a little bit further.

\---

Once it became clear that Maui wasn’t pursuing her, Aiata took a moment to try and recover--a small breather after a fast, but brutal fight.  The wound down her neck was still bleeding heavily and it seared with sharp pain, stinging as the raindrops beat down upon it.  The soreness in her side and across her back seemed minimal by comparison.

She turned, looking for Maui, but she had gone too many strides and couldn’t spot him.  She thought she heard a rustle in the brush, though, and picked up a faint whiff of his scent in the air.  He was likely moving around out there through the jungle.  But where?

One eye swiveled back to Tuahangata, thankfully still wedged where she had left him.  The hook’s slash had come awfully close to his position, but the only blood she could see was her own.

“You okay back there?” she asked in a low whisper, trying to disguise the pain in her voice.  Then there was the more important question.

“Where is he?”

\---

“I’m fine,” Tuahangata answered quickly. “Maui’s still running up the mountain, away from here. What about  _you?!”_  He had seen the other demigod’s hook slashing, and the spray of blood as it had sliced into Aiata’s neck. Her scream had chilled him to the bone, and for a moment - a moment that seemed to stretch forever - Tuahangata believed that Maui had slain Aiata. Had believed all was for naught.

It was only when she was running  _away_  that Tuahangata began to breathe again.

“Are you all right?!”

\---

_Up the mountain?_   Aiata felt a cold chill shake her.  Why was he going up there?  Had Maui discovered what they were up to?  No, that should be impossible.  There was no way he could know.  Regardless, she couldn’t let him get up there first.

Tuahangata’s question caught up to her.  Her eye turned to look at the long slash down her neck, then back to him.  The wound was serious and debilitating, but not necessarily mortal.  Blood still ran freely from it, too, but there was little she could do here to stem it.  She would just have to carry on and hope for the best.

Aiata really couldn’t afford to let Maui get close like that again.  The next time, she might not be so lucky.  The  _next_  time might be the  _last_.

“It’s bad, but... I’ll live,” she told Tuahangata frankly. The pain was now clearly evident in her voice, but beneath the pain was unyielding resolve.  She looked back up the mountain in the direction he’d indicated.  “But I still have to slow him down.”

She closed her eyes for just a few seconds, gathering her strength and determination and swallowing the pain, then started after the rogue demigod.

\---

Maui finally made it just past halfway up the mountain, where he judged himself high enough. He stopped and turned to look out over the downward slope and low hills, scanning for Aiata. Through the rain there was little to see, only the movement of of plants and leaves that danced under the cadence of raindrops.

Maui didn’t mind the rain, normally. But, tonight, it was getting in his way.

This would be a lot more difficult than last time: fire was eager to burn and spread, and needed little persuasion. Clouds heavy with rain, however, had little mind to go anywhere but where they were going.

Maui inhaled a deep, deep breath, fixed the wind in his mind, and  _blew,_  urging the rainclouds to move along.

\---

The rain began to slacken.

Startled, Aiata drew to an abrupt halt, stopping her pursuit.  Her eyestalks canted skyward as the winds began to pick up around her.

“Tuahangata!” she whispered urgently.  “What’s going on?  You said the rain would  _increase_.”

\---

Tuahangata’s brow furrowed. “It  _should_  be. When I call the rains it always builds into quite the storm.”

He squinted ahead, though he could see very little. “But I’d bet  _Tane_ , my spear, that Maui is behind it. I’ll… I can  _try_  to call it back, but chances are he’ll recognize what’s going on. My effectiveness in warning you against him will decrease  _dramatically_  if that happens.”

\---

Aiata looked at the sky, where the clouds were already starting to drift apart, then back down again to peer into the forest.  It was a hard choice.  Tuahangata’s warnings would only help  _her_  and not Tamatoa.  If Maui took to the air, they stood no chance.  He’d be able to find Tama easily in open ground.  He’d be able to plummet upon him without warning and Tama would be dead before he knew what was happening.

Her gaze hardened.  No, she’d rather keep Maui  _here_  and  _on the ground_.  If that meant she was in more danger and would have less warning, so be it.  She’d just have to keep him within sight from now on.

“Try to call the rain back,” she told Tuahangata, resolute.  “I’ll take my chances with him.”

She turned both eyes to look at him, her expression serious.  “If things go badly, I’ll do my best to get you away from him and myself both.”

Tuahangata had proved himself more than helpful to them; she wouldn’t abandon him to Maui’s not-so-tender mercies should she be caught.

\---

Tuahangata met Aiata’s eyes, saw her conviction radiating through. In that moment, he was struck by her bravery; here she was, grievously injured by their monstrous foe, and still she endeavored to delay him for Tamatoa’s benefit. She  _had_ to know what an unwinnable battle this would be, yet still put herself between Maui and her mate. His admiration for her, his new companion and the most sensible creature he’d met on this island (and yes, that included the  _taniwha_ ), increased tenfold. 

He offered a grim smile in agreement. “And I will do my best to prevent this battle from reaching that point. Good luck, Chieftess.”

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and called the rain back.

\---

It had taken Maui three large gusts to get the storm clouds to clear, and he watched with satisfaction as they drifted off, taking the rain with them.  _Much_  better, now he could actually fly effectively-

He frowned as the clouds began to coalesce again. That was unusual. Usually when he blew the clouds away they  _stayed_  away, for a good long while. Made sailing so much easier. But this, this was almost like-

Maui’s eyes narrowed as suspicion crept in. This was like the interference of another  _demigod._  And Maui had a pretty good idea who it might be. He didn’t know how, or why, but he knew only one other guy who could do this and Maui had  _thought_  he’d been done and rid of him.

A sick sort of fury wormed its way through him, but with it came a certain perverse satisfaction. Who was the fallen demigod now?

“TUAHANGATA!” he shouted into the night. “Wherever you are, you’d better  _stop this_  interference  _right the hell now!”  
_

\---

The shout rang through the forest and Aiata’s antennae stiffened.  Maui had caught on rather quicker than she had expected.  But at least now she could tell precisely where Maui was.

She cast an entreating eye back to Tuahangata, silently urging him  _not_  to stop as the rain began anew.

Then she turned and continued to stalk up the mountain, curving around to get in front of the other demigod and block him from going further uphill.  In the interim, let him yell and give away his position and stay distracted, as long as it kept him here.

\---

Maui was displeased.

He tried a few more gusts to disperse the clouds, but knew it was ultimately pointless. Unless he found Tuahangataagain, stopped him  _again,_  this could very well be a never-ending battle. Maui did  _not_  have the time nor patience for that.

He turned and began marching back up the mountain. The other demigod was likely to seek higher ground as much as the upper hand, and, like Maui, the closer he was to the sky the easier it was to do what he did.

If Maui was gonna find Tuahangata anywhere, it was gonna be up there. Deal with him first. Then get back to dealing with Tamatoa and Aiata.

It was shaping up to be a busy night.

\---

Tamatoa looked up at the sky curiously.  The rain had petered out for a brief few minutes, then had resumed again without warning.  The tropics were no stranger to short storms and erratic weather, but this seemed particularly unnatural.  He wondered what was going on across the mountain.  He hoped Aiata was okay.  The thought of her having to take on Maui alone while he ran his errand left him anxious and concerned.  But if it was still raining, then that must mean that Tuahangata was still helping them.  And if he was still helping them, it stood to reason that Aiata was still up and fighting.  At least, that’s what Tamatoa was going to tell himself to keep from losing his mind with worry.

Nevertheless, fear and uncertainty left him distracted as he climbed the slippery slopes into unfamiliar territory and tried to find his way back up to Koera’s crater.  Perhaps that was why he failed to see the precipitous drop in the terrain ahead.

As one leg stepped forward, it was met with nothing but open air.  While Tamatoa’s balance and dexterity was greatly improving with each stride and he had finally figured out how to properly move with speed and agility, he simply wasn’t able to compensate this time.  Instead, he reverted back to instinctively correcting his balance with a leg that wasn’t there and tumbled forward onto a steep downward slope.  The ground was slick with mud and he slid without traction down it.  Desperately, he grabbed at the ground with his legs to try and stop his descent, but they only cut through the mud uselessly.

Then he was falling through empty space.

His heart stuttered, cold fear gripping him as his mind flashed back to tumbling down the seaside bluff, fleshy fingers gripping his leg.  The stump of that leg hit something solid as he fell, sending waves of pain spiraling through him and only intensifying the memories now rising up to overwhelm him.

He  _remembered_  the terror, the absolute, pure  _horror_  as those fingers clamped down and began to turn.  At first it had only been a painful pressure on his joint--an uncomfortable strain as if he’d put a leg wrong--but it quickly grew.  As the joint began to twist and rupture, the pain swiftly became excruciating, white hot as the flesh started to tear.  He could  _hear_  the cracking of his exoskeleton as much as he  _felt_  it, the tender joint breaking apart as it was warped beyond its endurance.  Tamatoa had tried to pull away, tried to fling the monster off him, but it was no use.  They tumbled, he flailed, and Maui didn’t let go.  And just when Tamatoa thought there was no worse pain imaginable, there had been the  _pull_.  Weakened flesh tore and split, a feeling so strangely distant and foreign that it might have seemed to be happening to someone else had the agony not been so intense.

Tamatoa might have screamed, but he had no recollection of it.  Fuzzy blackness had closed in from the corners of his vision until it had overtaken his senses entirely and he had been plunged into painless oblivion.

Tamatoa hit the ground hard enough to jar him out of his terrible memory, though it lingered on the edge of perception as he tried to shake free of it.  But when he opened his eyes, the same darkness greeted him and he nearly panicked.  No, no.  He wasn’t back on the bluff.  Maui wasn’t here.  He was…

Wait, where was he?

He had no idea.  He was sprawled on the ground, but the ground was shifting under him as he slowly moved his legs.  It was as if he was on a pile of smaller objects, but what were they?  Tamatoa could see nothing in the pitch blackness, but there was one way to find out.  He let his bioluminescence flare to life, the soft turquoise glow of his shell and claws chasing the dark away.

His jaw dropped in astonishment.

Glittering glow dazzled him, coming from all around.  He sat upon an immense hoard of treasure at the bottom of an enormous, deep well in the earth.  Fine pearls, polished seashells, golden trinkets, and other exotic bric-a-brac were piled high.  All of it caught his natural glow and reflected it back, sparkling with a matching pale blue light.  Tamatoa’s eyes went wide, drinking in the sight as everything around him shone with a radiant brilliance.  It was an unparalleled trove of riches, the likes of which he had never even imagined.  It shined even brighter than the reflected stars had in the mirror-still lake of the crater high above.  For several long moments, all Tamatoa could do was stare in awe.

When he was finally able to formulate a coherent thought again, he began to have questions.  Was this what the humans were always venturing into the depths of the island for?  He’d heard stories of some such thing that drove them into the forests against all reason and sound judgement.  While he had often wondered  _why_  they continued to venture out of the safety of their village and into where monsters lurked, Tamatoa had never truly  _questioned_ it.  He had always just been content that they  _did_  and that it provided him with a reliable (and delicious) food source.

Aiata had mentioned something once, however, about some human quest to trade wealth for wishes or something like that, but Tamatoa had not been paying full attention at the time and conversation had fallen away that night in favor of other, more physical, activities.  Perhaps _this_  was what she had been speaking about, though.  Now he rather wished he had paid more attention.

None of that detracted from the enticing gleam of these treasures.  Tamatoa had never seen anything quite like them.  They seemed to absorb and radiate his bioluminescent light back just as strongly as his glow itself.  It was…  _beautiful_.

Curious, he switched his own lights off and watched as the treasures fell dark instantly as well.  Then he turned the glow back on and the treasure followed suit once more.  Delighted, he tried it again.  Then again.  And again.  Lights on.  Lights off.  Lights on.  Lights off.

This was  _cool_.

He grinned and, for just a moment, the fear lifted and he forgot his troubles.  He forgot the pain still resonating in his mutilated stump.  He forgot his fear of Maui.  He forgot the feeling of  _fingers_  gripping his leg.

But soon reality caught up with him and he remembered that he had work to do.  He tore his gaze away from the treasures and forced it skyward at the rocky walls of this strange hole in the mountain, which he would have to climb up to escape this pit.  His eyes kept pulling down to the magnificent treasures, however.  Just looking at them made him feel a bit lighter, a bit more confident.  He wondered if Aiata would like them.

Maybe he could bring some back with him.  It would be a shame to leave something so novel and beautiful here when the island sank, he rationalized.  There was more than enough here to cover his whole shell and then some.  There was--

Wait.

He  _could_  cover his shell with them.  And then that would  _easily_  disguise the weapons he was carrying back with him.  Maybe it would even offer a little extra protection, a little armor on top of his own that might make it harder for Maui to strike at him.  It might even prove distracting enough that Maui might be thrown off, at least a little.

All very good reasons to take it with him, he told himself.

Besides, he found himself strangely drawn to its shine and  _wanted_  it.  He’d have to be quick, though.  Dawn was approaching soon and he  _had_  to meet Aiata on schedule.  If he was late… well, he didn’t want to think about the repercussions.  He wanted this treasure, but he had another treasure that was far more precious.  He wasn’t about to leave her waiting.

But it made  _sense_  to take this stuff with him.  So, without further ado, Tamatoa began scooping up piles of treasure and piling it onto his shell.  It didn’t take long before the entirety was covered.  When he was done, the krait’s fang and Tuahangata’s spear were well concealed, hidden completely yet still accessible, within the outlandish collection of shiny treasures.

Tamatoa smiled smugly at his handiwork, then began to climb with renewed vigor.  It was time to go put an end to all of this.

\---

Aiata moved swiftly through the building rain, her long strides bringing her easily ahead of Maui as he huffed and puffed and failed to blow away the clouds.  She felt his breath upon her as she cut around him, ruffling her antennae.

Once ahead of Maui, she scanned the hillside swiftly, searching for something-- _anything_ \--to aid her.  She was hurting, her neck still dripping blood and throbbing with relentless pain.  She didn’t relish the idea of confronting Maui head on again.  No, she needed some sort of advantage, no matter how slight.  Some trap she could spring, then swiftly fade back from.

He was growing closer and she retreated higher up the hillside to keep ahead of him while she searched.  Then her eyes fell on a rocky outcropping, an area where some long ago landslide had cut a low escarpment out of the mountainside.  Its wall ran near and directly parallel to Maui’s path.  It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do.

She hurried ahead, scaling the rocky wall until she was just above the ground level.  She turned around, clinging to the wall and facing the forest floor below.  It was just enough that she could reach any unwary passerby with her claws, but would be unnoticed unless they looked up.

And no one ever looks up.

Once in position, she waited, silent and still.  It was just in time, too.  The demigod was coming up the slope, stomping purposefully towards her position.

\---

Steadily,  _quickly,_  Maui climbed the mountain, casting his eyes from side to side as he searched for any sign of Tuahangata. How had he gotten back? Did he have his spear? Was he working with the crabs, or was he just out for vengeance against Maui with really bad timing? The timing  _was_  particularly suspicious, but then, now he thought about it, it was hard to picture the other demigod  _ever_  teaming up with the monsters that he’d always gone to great lengths to mow down.

What had  _happened?  
_

The rain was growing heavier by the minute; soon it would be an outright downpour. If Maui had wanted to fly tonight, it was well past his chance to do so. Wet feathers couldn’t fly, and he wouldn’t be able to see a thing even if they could.

Rain or not, however, he could still  _hear.  
_

He slowed, looking a bit further around. Something was off-pattern with the rain. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was a rhythm that didn’t belong.

A flash of lightning illuminated the night, and Maui’s eyes were quickly drawn to… was that a puddle? Blue, even washed out with the rain? He stepped closer, and used the light from his hook to get a better look. 

A fat drop of viscous blue liquid dropped from above and landed with a splash. In an instant, he recognized it.  _Crab blood.  
_

He jerked his head up, a snarl already slashing across his face, weapon already rising to strike.

\---

It was far too late for that, however.  

Aiata’s claw was descending upon him.  Her lights flared bright as she snatched him from the ground, pincer crushingly tight around him.  Mindful that he could shapeshift easily to escape her grasp if she held him too long, she wasted little time.  Letting out a ferocious snarl of her own, she smashed the demigod against the rocky face of the wall with vicious, bruising force to stun him.  Then she  _flung_  him away from herself, casting him back into the forests below.

\---

Maui went flying through the air briefly before crashing into a tree. Stunned, he dropped to the ground, falling to his knees and bracing himself with one hand planted into the mud.

It was not the impacts against the rock wall nor against the tree that left him reeling. It was the sight he’d glimpsed when Aiata had flared her bioluminescence: Tuahangata.

Sick disgust warred with perverse pleasure. Tuahangata was there, yes, but  _just his head._ Maui  _knew_  he should have summoned up the energy to bat it away properly, because now here it was, apparently found by his foes and being used against him.

Of course, it  _had_  to be the one guy Maui couldn’t stand, the one demigod always following him around and trying to get him to  _care_. He had tried to rid himself of this very annoying pest; apparently he’d failed, and it had found its way to other vermin.

This island was  _infested,_  he decided. And he’d leave as soon as he was done with this.

Slowly, he stood, head tilted down and hair falling forward, scowl etched deeply across his face. He opened his eyes and looked out from under his heavy brow, seeking out Aiata still clinging to the rock wall. And there, just barely, he could make out Tuahangata’s head wedged between her shell and her shoulder.

His hand clenched  _hard_  around the grip of his fishhook. Then he began a slow walk forward.

“Tuahangata!” he yelled, letting his anger vibrate through his voice. He tossed his head up and hair back, eyes wide and threatening. “What is this?! Here you are,  _colluding_ with  _monsters?_  Isn’t that what you said to me, back then?”

He continued his slow, slow march, but his anger was rising. “Is this you giving me a taste of my own medicine? Working out pretty poorly, I gotta say. Go ahead and keep up this rain, it won’t stop me. You  _know_  it won’t. And when I slaughter those two monsters and  _you_  are the only one left against me,  _you know_  you’re gonna pay for this.”

“And all this, for what? Did you have a change of  _heart_  when I separated your head from your shoulders? You  _hypocrite._  Always following me around telling me to care about the humans and slay the monsters, and getting on my case when I dare do something  _different._  Then here you are, following in my footsteps, and still condemning me? How many monsters have  _you_  killed, Tua? Does Aiata there know? Do  _you_ , or have you lost count? The only reason she trusts you is because you don’t have any way to hurt her. Your body is gone, fed to the pigs. Your spear is gone, I used it for kindling. Nothing left to you but your words, and those are  _empty.”_

Even closer now, and he smiled, a brutal grin that stretched the distance between them. “And let’s say you  _do_  win, and send me packing - what then? You think those monsters are gonna stop eating people? The humans will come back, you know they will, and those two you’re helping are gonna gobble them up like you would a banana, and with about as much care. And there’s nothing you could do to stop them, is there? They’d set you on a rock nearby and make you  _watch_  while your precious people become little more than  _appetizers._  Is that how you want to spend eternity, Tua? Listening to their screams, spattered in their blood, and knowing every moment that your success led straight to your  _failure._

“But, hey, I’m sure you thought all that through. I guess you know what you’re doing. Hadn’t pegged you for such a masochist, but hey, tonight’s been  _full_  of revelations.”

He was close enough now that he could jump. Aiata would likely flee before he landed, but seeing her scramble might well be worth it. It all depended on what they had to say next.

\---

Clinging to the rocks, Aiata felt a chill run through her at Maui’s words and, as he approached closer, she started to slowly climb backwards up the incline.

Now she began to understand how this demigod had managed to burrow so deep under Tamatoa’s exoskeleton.  Maui represented so much more than a simple physical threat, no matter how clever and bloodthirsty.  No, this was something more than just that--darker, more insidious, and infinitely more dangerous.

One eye shifted to glance at Tuahangata.  He had been silent through the whole barrage and that worried her.

There was little she could say to him to reassure him, and certainly nothing that could fully refute Maui’s words.  There was a vein of truth running deeply through them that was difficult to ignore.  Ugly truths were laid bare before them in the venomous words pouring from Maui’s lips.

It was true that Tuahangata posed no threat to them, which made him safe to keep around.  She never would have brought him around her grievously injured mate if he had posed even the slightest threat.  She would have cast him back into the sea at the first sign of danger.  And a demigod was undoubtedly a dangerous creature, no matter how well spoken.  This demigod, in particular, had likely killed countless monsters in his zealotry when he was still whole--perhaps even other crab monsters, perhaps even her own kin.

And it was true that she and Tamatoa would never willingly cut off a potential food source, not on an island as competitive as this.  Their island was packed with other monsters, all competing for the same resources.  They had to eat.  Food was survival.  They could little afford to limit their options and potentially face starvation if one or more other food sources failed.  They would hunt humans as they pleased and think nothing of it.

But these were truths twisted by a foul wind.

True, she and Tama wouldn’t stop hunting humans to satisfy any demigod’s whims, but it would be of little importance if they succeeded tonight.  If all went according to plan, they’d be in Lalotai by the night’s end, where humans were not found and would no longer be a point of contention.

True, Tuahangata posed no threat, but he had  _earned_  Aiata’s trust.  His insights into Maui’s weaknesses had helped shape their plans.  His warning had saved them from the flood.  His assistance since had kept her one step ahead of Maui.  He’d proven himself an ally.  There was little reason to doubt that he had slain  _many_  monsters in his life, but Aiata didn’t think he would harm her or Tamatoa now, even if he had a body to do so.

But he was still silent.

Maui’s words were poison, meant to instill doubt and discord.  She could not allow them to stir up strife, not when so much was riding on this.

“Tuahangata,” she whispered, though her voice was strained.  “Don’t let him get to you.”

_Please.  Please don’t fall for it.  
_

\---

Aiata was slowly backing away, but, aside from the rain and distant thunder, there was only silence around Maui as he waited. He crept ever closer, waiting, listening, until he could stay quiet no longer.

“What, nothing to say for yourself, Tua? I cut off your  _head,_  not your tongue. If you agree, just say so. Tell me I’m right, say you’re sorry, and I’ll find a bunch of humans to dump you with. They’ll worship you forever and you’ll be happy as a clam, not unlike your old island, hmm?” 

No, Tuahangata would never apologize to him, but otherwise that was a pretty sweet deal, if Maui said so himself. And the most efficient way of getting rid of the other demigod’s interference. He raised a single eyebrow, waiting.

\---

Tuahangata had been firm in his resolve to ignore Maui - nothing the other demigod had to say would be anything  _good_  - but words were insidious things when all you could do was listen. Each sentence, every question that Maui asked, fell like a stone upon his head, and hurt twice as much. But those words held little weight now, in light of the crabs’ plight and their plan. Maui wasn’t  _wrong,_  but neither was he correct. Tuahangata simply had to keep reminding himself that yes, this  _was_  the best, most moral course of action in light of the circumstances.

He held his lips closed right up until he thought Maui was done, then exhaled a soft sigh. He was just opening his mouth to respond to Aiata’s whisper….

Then Maui had to taunt him one last time.

“ _It wasn’t worship,_  you daft lump of rock!” he finally exploded in response, grief and anger flaring up in an instant and lashing out uncontrollably. “They were my  _family!_  Something you’d have known about if you weren’t so  _horrible_  that your own tossed you out!”

He didn’t need to breathe to talk anymore, so he continued without pause. “They  _knew!_  And I know it now:  _you_  are the monster, Maui! I am now, as have I ever been, upholding my duties to protect those under threat from the unrelenting horrors that stalk them;  _horrors like you!_  You don’t care about anything or anyone! You  _never ha-!”  
_

He cut off suddenly as Maui lunged toward them with an infuriated roar, and Aiata immediately began moving, her lights going dark. Well, so much for speaking his mind; it was just like Maui to interrupt him. Still, Tuahangata was glad that he had, apparently, struck a nerve.

\---

Even as Aiata sprang sideways to avoid the charge that Tuahangata’s words had inspired, she couldn’t help but feel a warm wash of relief.  Tuahangata  _hadn’t_  been swayed by Maui’s words.  He hadn’t let the other demigod manipulate him, nor had he abandoned them to Maui’s whims.  Her trust in him had been well-placed, it would seem, and it was now joined by genuine respect.  A hint of a smile found their way onto her face.

Once out of Maui’s path, she pivoted with a smooth grace at odds with her immense size, and swung at the onrushing demigod with a claw in a savage, edgeways slice to knock him away again.

“You talk too much.”

\---

Maui was  _angry.  
_

No, angry was too shallow a word. There  _was no_  word to properly express his rage. Maui  _hated_  the reminder that his fate had been taken,  _stolen,_  altered and changed without his having any say in it. A dead infant cast out to sea and reanimated in the shape of a demigod, given gifts no mortal man should wield and thus made immortal. 

Those first few hundred years of his life had been agony. Humans everywhere envied him, praised him, but they  _didn’t know what it was like._  Caught between the divine and the mortal, there was no place for him. No comfort, no solace; only loneliness and pain.

It hadn’t been until he’d made his first kill that he felt anything close to  _happy._  

Was he horrible? Sure. But the gods had made him that way.

It wasn’t  _his_  fault.

Having Tuahangata spill such condemnations was enough to break Maui’s calm. With a wild howl he leapt, ready to sever that head in two, along with anything that got between them. Her glow dimmed, Maui didn’t even  _see_  Aiata, not really, until she darted out and away and took a swing at him. 

She was fast, but not invisible; Maui swung his hook and batted her claw down. It caused no damage, he noted with dissatisfaction; he needed to focus again. His anger -  _fury_  - only made him sloppy. 

Her words washed over him as Maui landed a moment later against the rock wall, slicing his hook into the stone to hold himself steady, feet braced against the vertical surface. The rain poured harder now, streaming down his face, darkening his countenance. He looked across at Aiata and Tuahangata, heavy frown casting his features into a deadly serious moue. The time for banter was over.

Maui took a deep breath, let it out slowly. His anger simmered right below the surface; he slapped his chest, the first movement of  _haka,_  broadcasting his murderous intent.

“You’re both dead,” he said, simply.

Then, without warning, he launched himself directly at them, white teeth bared and near-glowing in the dark.

\---

Tuahangata’s self-satisfaction lasted all of three seconds.

The moment Maui began his  _haka,_  he knew it was about to get bad. That movement was reserved only for Maui’s most  _deadly_  exploits.

“Aiata!” he whispered, urgently.  _“Run!”  
_

\---

No sooner had Tuahangata uttered his warning than Aiata leapt off the wall, away from Maui’s charge and back towards the forest.  She hit the forest floor running, tearing up the earth with huge, ground-covering strides.  The trees whipped by as she raced away and the peals of thunder in the clouds overhead echoed her own crashing steps.

Well, they  _certainly_  had Maui’s attention now.  As she fled, she turned an eye upward.  The rain was coming down hard and thick, with dense clouds covering much of the sky, but in the cracks between thunderheads, she could see the vaguest sliver of pale blue pre-dawn light.

She glanced back, towards where the murderous demigod raged behind them.  His fury was a terrible thing to behold and sent chills running through her.  But perhaps that blind rage might leave him distracted enough to not realize what was about to happen.

Turning swiftly, Aiata changed her course and began to ascend the mountain.

\---

Even as he landed and began his chase, Maui was aware of the echoes of a few nights ago. The dark, the chase, the inevitable, distracting trap. Aiata held a pattern, it seemed, of  _running away._  

And she had Tuahangata with her. Tua, the little worm, who would be whispering to her where Maui was, how far away and how fast he was moving. He cursed the humanity within him that inevitably lit him up like a beacon to the other demigod. Together, they would outrun Maui and dodge all of his attacks.

Under normal circumstances, Maui would take flight; it was without a doubt the best advantage he held over his enemies, the speed and ability to drop on top of his adversaries nearly unmatched. Tonight, however, he couldn’t - the rain that Tua had summoned up was too heavy even for Maui to fly through. 

If he wanted to catch up, if he wanted  _speed,_ then his best option would be to assume his latest acquisition: his monster crab shape. But that was, undoubtedly, exactly what Aiata wanted him to do.

And where was Tamatoa in all of this? Maui’s  _real_  target, the reason for this hunt in the first place. Aiata and Tua were distractions, but were they leading him  _away_  from Tamatoa, or  _toward_ him for their trap?

To deviate would be pointless. The island was huge and it would take days, at least, to find his quarry. Better to spring their trap (again) and find out just what they were hoping to pull over on him.

The only other option was to call off this chase, wait for things to settle down, then burn this island to the ground.

Well, Maui thought, in a moment of levity; it’s not like he couldn’t do that if tonight didn’t work out. It could be the best of both worlds!

Sadistic glee rising, Maui put on a burst of speed, rushing to catch up before leaping once more into the air, fishhook brandished and ready.

\---

Tuahangata was worried for a long moment as Maui fell behind, afraid the murderous demigod wouldn’t follow them up the mountain as planned.

Then Tuahangata grew  _afraid_  as Maui suddenly started closing in. It seemed he’d finally made up his mind.

“Aiata!” he called again. “He’s getting clo-  _dodge, quickly!”  
_

Maui was in the air, falling right towards them.

\---

Aiata heard Tua’s warning and, in her peripheral vision, she could just get a faint glimpse of Maui leaping through the air towards them.  She immediately broke left, darting to the side in a fast zigzag to avoid him.

\---

Maui could tell the moment Aiata located his position by her hasty dodge, but of course Tua would warn her. It was no matter; Maui landed hot on her heels, swinging his hook and striking the ground with his full momentum behind it.

The earth shook beneath their feet. Maui immediately leapt again.

\---

The impact unleashed a shockwave that raced through the ground beneath them.  Rocks rattled and split under the force of it, the smaller ones shifting beneath Aiata’s dactyls as she ran.  She stumbled, just barely catching herself and rebalancing all four legs to keep upright as she twisted to the right in another hasty dodge.

But small stones weren’t the only ones to be shaken loose.  The slopes of the mountain were far more rocky than the smoothly weathered hills below, covered in talus and enormous volcanic stones.  Maui’s stroke, rumbling outward through the earth, had dislodged several massive boulders from higher elevations.  They tumbled downward, moving in irregular paths as their sharp, jagged surfaces ricocheted off the terrain.  Aiata only narrowly avoided them as she zigzagged away from Maui, the bevy of rolling stones passing harmlessly through her wide-legged stance and continuing on behind her.

\---

Maui watched from above as Aiata stumbled but recovered quickly enough to avoid his second jump’s landing. Once more on his feet he again sprinted after her, quickly gaining ground once again.

The boulders were no surprise; in fact, Maui was slightly annoyed that nothing bigger had shaken loose to slow Aiata further. He swung his hook and sliced any rocks that rolled his way in two, neatly removing them from his path. It would take far more than a landslide to slow him down.

It took only a moment for the worst of the rocks and boulders to rumble past - not his best earthquake, but whatever - and Aiata was still steadily running away. Maui really wished she’d stop doing that, even with as fun as the chase could be.

He was already so close; this would only take a moment.

In a flash he was once again in the shape of a giant crab. A few quick strides and Maui was  _there_ , looming over her. She was already moving to block him, but Maui didn’t reach for her. No, instead, he shifted into his lizard form - tiny and streamlined - and plummeted straight onto her back. He grasped her shell with his claws, and grinned.

“Tell you what, Aiata, let’s make a deal!” he called, dodging her attempts to remove him. “Give me that worthless, empty airhead you’re lugging around, and I’ll give you  _three days._  That’s a good deal, isn’t it? Don’t think I haven’t seen your blood splashed across this mountain. Three days to rest. Three days to plan. And when I’m done flaying the tongue of that  _traitor,_  I’ll give him back, if you still want him. I’ll kill Tamatoa quickly, without pain. And  _you_  can leave. Aside from you helping that coward, I’ve got no quarrel with you.

“Tamatoa was the one who dragged you into this. He could have faced me on his own, could have done the honorable thing and spared the rest of the island from this fallout. And who knows what lies Tua’s told you, how many opportunities he’s taken to undermine you. He hates me, sure, but he hates monsters, too. He’s helping you  _now;_  how long until he turns on you? How long until he finds some way to finish the job he started when he and Tamatoa fought? You’ve  _seen_  how quickly he changes his mind, Aiata. Don’t trust him not to do it again. Give him to me, and save yourself while you can.”

\---

For a moment, Aiata was dumbstruck, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.  The flash of fear as Maui had overtaken her was swiftly swept away by the absolutely ludicrous words coming from the demigod’s mouth.  She was aghast.  Was this... this…  _odious suggestion_  supposed to be an enticing offer?  Did Maui seriously,  _seriously_  think she would take him up on such a thing?  Did he think that she would  _ever_  barter away Tamatoa in exchange for her own safety?  Or hand over an ally to certain torture just to buy a little time?

What on earth was  _wrong_  with this demigod?!  What kind of creature could be so utterly devoid of loyalty, of friendship, of love or trust?   _This_  was what the humans heralded as a ‘hero’?  And yet they called  _her_  kind ‘monsters.’

A wave of disgust and complete revulsion swept through her, crawling under her exoskeleton just as Maui’s little lizard feet crawled across her back.  She’d heard enough of this.  With a growl, she slammed to a halt and jerked her shell in a fast side-to-side tilt to unbalance clinging little lizard, wincing as the motion tugged upon the bloody wound down her neck.  Ignoring the pain, she darted a claw back to snatch Maui up while he was unsteady on his feet.

“I don’t think so,” she snarled, slamming him down onto the ground before her.

She held him there for just long enough to glare fiercely down at him, bioluminescence blazing to match the intensity of her eyes.  “You know  _nothing_  if you think I would ever agree to  _any_  of that.”

Before he could shapeshift in her grasp, she flung him away, tossing him behind her as far as she possibly could.  Then she took off running again, eyes up and fixed on her destination.  Even now, she could see the outline of the tunnel above them, highlighted by the first light of pre-dawn leaking through gaps in the clouds.

She was almost there.  She just had to hang on just a little longer.  Tama would be waiting for her.

Just a bit farther.

\---

For just a moment, Maui lay still and stared. Aiata’s eyes were magnificent - he’d never noticed that before.

He couldn’t wait to be the last thing she ever saw.

Then he was  - once again - thrown through the air. He shifted back to his human skin and somersaulted, changing his position and landing with grace despite the slippery mud.

The sky was lightening around the clouds, and the crab’s bioluminescence pinpointed her ahead, still climbing the mountain. The slope grew steeper here, too, making it difficult for  _anything_  to climb higher than they already were.

Maui stood, and sighed. Aiata had the advantage here, even if slight: she could climb this faster than he, even if she would tire from the struggle and he would not.

Let them struggle, he thought. Let them try. They could only delay Maui.

But he would never stop.

 ---

Despite the pounding rain, the first rays of the approaching dawn were spilling around the clouds.  Tamatoa hurried on, clawing his way up the mountain as quickly as he could.  He kept his bioluminescence extinguished, a silent wraith in the dark.  Soon the mud gave way to craggy rocks and he broke from the treeline and into the sparse expanse of the mountain’s upper reaches.  The footing here was more solid, giving him just that much more traction and speed.  He was running now, a snappy lope that would have seemed impossible on only three legs just days before.  But with glittering armor and a venom-filled fang on his back, along with Aiata waiting at the rendezvous above, he had all the motivation he needed to  _finish_  this.

Through the silvery sheets pouring down, he caught a glimpse of his destination at last: the tunnel into the taniwha’s crater.  On the northern face of the mountain, even at this distance, he could see a flicker of familiar lights moving in double-time towards that same tunnel.  Aiata!

He quickened his pace, ascending at a fast clip.  He was close.  Again he glanced towards glowing streak that marked Aiata’s position; at this rate they would reach the tunnel at nearly the same time.  But then he saw another light across the distances:  bright blue flashes following along behind Aiata.

_Maui_.

Unbidden, fear swept through Tamatoa again.  He was going to have to face Maui again--in just a few short minutes, actually.  Was he ready?  He sure hoped so.  

The demigod was awfully close behind Aiata, too.  If Maui had so much as laid a finger on her….

A growl building in his throat, Tamatoa sprinted faster for the tunnel above.  He could see Aiata clearly now, their paths on a course to convergence as they hurried upwards.  Maui had fallen behind, which should give them a few precious moments to regroup.

A few more strides, then he was there!  He skidded to a stop on the ledge outside the tunnel just as Aiata reached it as well.  Their eyes met and he felt that familiar spark thrill through him as it always did when they were reunited.  There was little time for proper greetings now, however, not with Maui only moments behind them.

Aiata assessed him with a rushed glance, eyes flitting over the treasure adhered to his back.  “Tama?!  Where did you get all that  _stuff?!_ ”  She was breathless from her fast uphill trek, but also equally perplexed.  Then she rapidly shook off the question she had just asked.  “No no, that’s not important.  You have it?”

But Tamatoa barely heard her question, instead his eyes were locked in horror on the long, deep gash running down the side of her face and trailing down her neck.  The scent of her blood filled his senses, strong and coppery even in the pouring rain.  The stain of it marred her bioluminescence, blotting out the glow in wide swaths.  This was no mere scratch, not this time.  This was a serious wound.

“You’re hurt!” he blurted, worry soaking him as surely as the downpour.  “Are you okay?”  Then his tone sharpened and his next words were a guttural growl of building fury.  “ _He_  did this.  That  _bastard_ , I’ll  _kill_  him!  I’ll--”

Aiata grabbed his claw and gave it a sharp tug, jerking him out of his rising fervor.  “Tama!  I’m fine!”  He knew she wasn’t, but he also knew better than to argue when she used that tone.  “Focus!  The  _fang!_ ”

He took in the expression on her face, the wounds she’d sustained, and the hardness in her eyes.  Aiata was strong and she would fight on with everything she had, no matter the injuries.  And there was no time for either of them to do  _anything_  but try to survive this.  So, Tamatoa held his fear and worry and rage in check for now, letting it simmer until needed, and forced himself to focus on their immediate plans.

“I have it!” he confirmed.  He reached back onto his shell and snatched something else from it.  He held the object low, kept out of sight even for the  _other_  demigod whose head was currently tucked into Aiata’s shoulder.  “I also have  _this,_ ” he said and shoved Tuahangata’s spear into her claw.  “Take it!  But don’t let him see it!”  He didn’t want Maui to get his hands on it.

Aiata might need it, too.  Tamatoa had a feeling that there was more to her next task than Koera, the giant taniwha, had implied.  There was no time to explain all that, though.  Not with Maui likely to show up at any moment.

Aiata didn’t question him.  She gave the spear only the briefest of glances, then quickly passed it under her body.  Tiny claws on tiny legs--the fifth pair of legs, usually hidden and tucked away--grasped the spear and held it out of sight between her abdomen and underside.

Then Aiata curled an eye to look over her shoulder, back down the way she had come from.  A low rise in the terrain blocked their view, but Tamatoa knew what she was looking for.

“He’s coming,” she told him with no small amount of urgency.

It was as much a question as it was a warning.  She wanted to know if he was ready.  Well, there was no turning back now.  They had to fight.   _He_  had to fight.  It was their only chance to survive.  Ready or not, Tamatoa was going to do what he had to do.

“I’ve got this,” Tamatoa assured her.  Or was he reassuring himself?  He wasn’t sure.

Her eyes met his again, lingering there and filled with unspoken things.

Tamatoa knew she wanted to stay with him, to fight their foe together as they had so many times before, but this was her plan and she had her own task to perform still.  He could see the tiredness in her face, too.  Aiata was winded and battle-weary from keeping Maui busy and Tamatoa was fresh, ready to fight.  So, she placed her confidence in him and tagged him in.

After all, two hundred years of companionship bred more than hundreds of thousands of tiny crabs; it bred unshakable trust.  She trusted him; and he, her.  And they would trust each other to survive this.

Aiata nodded, accepting his answer.  “Meet me at the portal when you’re done,” she instructed, voice tight.  “You remember where?”

He nodded in return.

Their exchange thus far had been brief, but Maui might be only seconds away.  Despite this, Tamatoa swept forward anyway and wrapped his antennae with hers and together they exchanged whispered sentiments.  Should the worst happen, they would at least have this.

When they pulled apart, there was nothing left to do but get on with it.

“Ready?” Aiata asked.

Tamatoa confirmed, “Ready.”

They touched claws briefly, then Aiata spun around to go--leaving hurriedly by different path than from where she had arrived.  Just before she moved out of sight, she paused to call back to him.

“Tama!”

“Hmm?”

She flashed him a wicked grin, facial markings burning with a violently crimson and violet light.

“Kick his ass.”

Then her lights went out and she vanished down the other pathway.

Alone now, Tamatoa let his fury percolate back up to the surface.  He had done his level best to hold it back so they could address more practical matters, but now he released his grip on it.  The scent of Aiata’s blood still lingered in the air, on the ground,  _everywhere_.  This was the  _last straw_.  Maui had haunted his steps, stalked him, starved him, forced him to play a role in sick games, burned his home, flooded Aiata’s, and  _mutilated_  him.  And now he had done grievous harm to Aiata.  Maui was going to  _pay_  for this--for  _all of this_.

Even the fears that had haunted him ever since losing his leg could not withstand the white hot anger that the bloody scent inspired.  Rage flooded him again, singing through every tense muscle and permeating every inch of him from the tips of his legs to the ends of his antennae.  Fear could do nothing but flee before it.

Tamatoa turned to face where Maui would soon arrive, falling into a fighting stance.  Poised and ready with claws up and open, he could hear the demigod approaching now, just below the rise leading up to the crater tunnel.  Behind the clouds, the sun was just breaking into the sky but even the brightest morning sunshine did little to dispel the darkness under the furious storm huddled over the doomed island.

Lightning flashed overhead, just as the demigod crested the hill and came into view.  In the same instant, Tamatoa let his bioluminescence explode back to life--gleaming all the more brilliantly for the treasures he now carried--and, with a deafening roar, he launched himself at the hated demigod who had spent months tormenting him unceasingly.

\---

Climbing a tall mountain was not the kind of effort Maui had pictured putting into this evening.

He kept his pace quick, but not fast. Aiata was lingering at the tunnel, either waiting for him to catch up or making sure everything was in place for her inevitable trap. She melted into the darkness a mere minute before Maui arrived at the spot she had been.

He was unsurprised to find Tamatoa waiting for him.

Exasperation warred with exultation; did they really think another fight like this was gonna work? And yet, here he was: Tamatoa ready and roaring to fight, and Maui’s hunt finally come to an end.

The monstrous crab was rushing at him; finally, a  _real_  fight! Maui planted his hook against the ground, quirked an eyebrow, and waited.

He waited until the last possible moment, too; Tamatoa’s claws were barely more than inches away from his skin when Maui transformed. In the shape of a beetle he dropped to the ground, neatly evading the grasping claws. Tamatoa’s momentum carried him forward, over Maui, and Maui changed again.

In his new favorite guise as a giant crab, Maui catapulted Tamatoa into the air, flipping him sideways and sending the crab crashing down the mountain. It was about time someone else felt what that was like.

“Sorry, Tama!” he called, resuming his human shape in a flash. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting! Did you miss me?”

\---

The world spun crazily as Tamatoa tumbled down the slope, turning end over end and shedding bits of shiny bric-a-brac as he rolled.  His still-sore leg was battered about on the rocks as he fell, drawing a ragged snarl from him.  Worse, though, was the sharp dart of fear: to be trapped on his back would mean certain death.  But then the world again flipped upright for a brief instant and he dug his remaining legs into the earth.  The terrain was slippery with rain, but he nevertheless skidded to a halt with the world facing the right direction.

He had gouged a muddy line down from the summit, littered with scattered pieces of his newfound treasure.  Another shock of fear speared him.  Had he lost the fang?  A quick glance over his shoulder allayed those fears, however.  The fang was still there, concealed amongst the glittering hoard.

Then Maui’s words caught up with him and his eyes snapped up, seeking his adversary.  Fury burned in Tamatoa’s gaze, still lit with flashing colors even as sunlight began to seep through the heavy storm clouds.  He bristled, his familiar nickname tainted and unacceptable on Maui’s tongue.

But Tamatoa had to rein his rage in, struggle though it was.  Blind fury had already cost him his leg, he couldn’t afford to screw things up this time.  This time he had to do it  _right_.  He had the krait’s fang, he just had to stab Maui with it.  But that meant he had to get in  _close_ , a chilling notion which sent fear skittering through him again.  He swallowed the fear down, though, even as his antennae quivered with it, and put on as smug a swagger as he could manage.

“Maui man!” he crooned.  “What took you so long?  Did the little  _semigod_ get lost in the woods?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we go! See you next week with the thrilling conclusion! :D


	15. Chapter 15

Tuahangata’s mind was whirling.

He’d been honestly surprised that Maui had tried to barter with Aiata; no, bartering wasn’t the right word. Maui didn’t make deals, he made _threats_ and prettied them up to look like a choice.

Tuahangata was infinitely glad that Aiata had seen right through that. Not that he’d ever doubted her. She had already saved him so many times, he had complete trust that she wouldn’t be throwing him away now.

Even so, that faith didn’t stop the cold chill that permeated his mind as he imagined what tortures Maui would undoubtedly put him through.

But Aiata, his Chieftess, was strong. Strong and _fast,_ and together they reached the appointed meeting space well-enough ahead of Maui.

Tamatoa’s face, what Tuahangata could see of it, was a mask of fear. Not that he blamed the crab, because he was afraid too. Maui had a persistent habit of destroying things, and he would stop at nothing to accomplish whatever he’d set his mind to.

Aiata was strong, but Tuahangata held doubts for Tamatoa’s success… right up until he heard the word _fang._ Pieces clicked together, connecting their abbreviated conversation in the tunnels before the flood with Tamatoa’s errand this night. Oh. Of course they had something to stop Maui. How _else_ would they get his hook away from him?

An empty feeling not unlike _hurt_ tried to worm its way into his mind, but Tuahangata shoved it away. Trust was a fragile thing and he hadn’t yet earned it then, and _since_ then they’d all been rather busy. And it wasn’t as if his knowing about it would have affected their outcome at all.

Lost in his thoughts for a minute, Tuahangata missed their other exchange. When he did come back to himself, he stayed quiet as the lovers shared a personal moment, knowing it may well be their _last_ one together, fang or no. Maui was coming, yes, but he wasn’t _there;_ he could let them say what they needed. 

And then, just like that, they were off again.

“Good luck, Tamatoa,” he muttered softly, after Aiata’s own final encouragement. Then he quirked his eyebrow. “Aiata? Would you please tell me about this fang that we’re all pinning our hopes upon?”

\---

Behind her as she raced back down the mountain, Aiata could hear the sounds of the fight breaking out behind her.  Tamatoa’s battlecry thundered off the rocks and it was all she could do to not turn back.Setting her jaw, she steeled her resolve and forced herself to keep going despite the worry that cascaded through her.  If monsters weren’t so forsaken by the gods, she might have prayed for Tama’s safety.As it was, she would just have to trust him to make it through on his own while she did what _she_ had to do.

But the worry still lingered, even as the noise of battle faded in her wake.  Her antennae still tingled warmly from their final shared touch and she hoped fervently that it wasn’t the last time she’d feel that way.  So consumed by her apprehension, it took her a moment to realize Tuahangata was asking her a question.

“A krait fang,” she answered once his words sank in, not pausing in her rapid descent towards the treeline.  “When Maui killed Nākahi, Tama scavenged one of the fangs and hid it.”

She plowed through a stand of trees, unconcerned about those uprooted by her passage.  Then, once through the trees, she paused briefly to take her bearings and curl one eye to look at Tuahangata.

“Maui doesn’t know he has it.”

Then she took off down another path, galloping down the slippery dirt track through the forest.  It was rough going, with the deep mud sucking at the points of her legs and dragging her down.Already weary from fighting and weakened by blood loss, the mud only complicated matters and stymied her.  Then the mud abruptly grew deeper and she stumbled, legs fouled in the muck and overbalanced on the steep slope.It was only by sheer will that she managed to catch herself, snarling a blistering curse, and keep fighting her way through.

The tunnel Koera had told her about was this direction, hidden on the treacherous eastern slope.  She _had_ to make it there; her task was _crucial_ to keep Maui from following them.

So she kept going.

\---

_A krait’s fang;_ Tuahangata considered it. A krait’s bite was fatal to a human not through destruction of flesh or poison, but through _paralysis._ The victim could not move to breathe and, so, would die of suffocation. Sometimes the heart was stopped as well.

Any ordinary krait bite would have little to no effect upon a demigod, but a _monstrous_ krait was another thing entirely. Would it be enough? Tuahangata recalled the conversation that had left him stymied: _just the tip; in the shoulder; somewhere more vital._ Maui had been bitten in that fight, but had likely healed himself within minutes and suffered next to no ill effects.

_Could_ it be enough? Could another strike slow Maui, just so much that Tamatoa could relieve him of his hook and its healing capabilities?

Tuahangata dearly hoped so.

His thoughts were jarred when Aiata tripped and tilted wildly. It was enough that he was almost shaken loose; Aiata’s curse ringing through his ears. He wanted to tell her to be careful, to be mindful of her own safety; but she had a task to complete, and the sooner the better for all of them, _especially_ Tamatoa. Aiata knew what was at stake. She couldn’t tarry now.

“Be strong, Chieftess,” Tuahangata offered his encouragement. “Soon, this will all be over.” One way or another.

Silently, he prayed for all the assistance the gods might be willing to bestow upon them.

\---

Maui watched, delighted, as Tamatoa rolled down the mountain, and eager anticipation arose when the crab managed to catch himself and stand.

Oh, this fight was _on._

“It was a long night,” he admitted, answering Tamatoa’s prod. “Luckily, _your girl_ was kind enough to show me around. Even gave me a little ride, _if you know what I mean.”_

He smirked nastily.

\---

Maui’s words were as barbed as his hook, drawing a furious snarl from Tamatoa.  The scent of Aiata’s blood and the sight of the deep wound down her neck were still fresh in his mind.  And the mere _thought_ of Maui anywhere near her in his stolen crab shape was enough to stoke a primal, instinctive fury within him.  He wanted nothing more than to charge headlong at the demigod and tear him apart, limb from limb, with his own claws.

But that wasn’t the plan.  And he couldn’t let Maui bait him into rash actions again.

So instead, he sneered up at the demigod and responded in kind with bait of his own.

“Nah, man.  She doesn’t _play_ with her _food_.”  He smiled a terrible smile, all teeth and bad intentions.  “But _I_ do.”

He braced himself, tensing for the fight to come, and let his voice ring out again.

“And that’s all you are, isn’t it?   _Carrion._  The rancid leftovers of a human, discarded to bloat and putrefy in the sea for us _scavengers_ to feast upon.  You may look like a demigod, but you smell like rotten human flesh.”

\---

Maui’s smirk slipped as his anger blazed forth. Tamatoa’s words hit too close, another awful reminder of what the gods had done to him. He had already been angry with the crab standing down the slope, the one who’d robbed him of companionship and his most pleasurable hobby. But now?

_Now,_ he was _furious._

_Carrion,_ was he? He wasn’t the only one. Not after this.

It was not so much a scowl as a monstrous grimace that shaped Maui’s face as he began a measured walk down the slope, aiming directly for Tamatoa.

“You know, you’re not wrong, buddy,” he called out. “I _should_ have been dead thousands of years ago. Should be dead thousands of times over since then. But the gods interfered, and here I am.”

He looked directly into the eyes of his enemy, gaze sharp and piercing.

“I promise that they won’t be making any such effort for _you,_ no matter how gaudy you’ve made yourself.” 

Then Maui paused - actually stopped walking - as he thought about that. He quirked a brow up, questioningly. “What’s up with that, anyway? Compensating for something?” He hefted his hook, knowingly.

\---

Tamatoa laughed, snide and mocking as the demigod approached.  “I told you, Maui.I collect shiny seashells,” he jeered, an echo of a flippant quip he’d made once before.  He tilted his shell rakishly, a smirk curling his lip.“I think it’s rather dashing.”

If the demigod wanted to banter, he’d play along for now.  Perhaps it would even goad Maui into dropping his guard or making some rash mistake, leaving an opportunity for Tamatoa to make his move.

“And it seems like _you’re_ the one compensating.  Big hook, little… well… you know.  And those _tattoos?_  Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?  All those _great deeds_ \--” he coated the words with deep scorn “--and yet, under it all, you’re still just fetid flotsam fished outta the water.”

It was only then, his gaze drifting over Maui’s adornments, that he spotted what hung brazenly from the demigod’s waist:  a piece of his own exoskeleton.

A fresh growl built in his throat and his eyes glittered with anger.  Maui thought he was going to add a bit of crab to that macabre collection, did he?  Well, not if Tamatoa had anything to do about it.

Tension vibrated through every inch of him, tightening his muscles and trembling keenly through his antennae.  This was it.He was as ready as he’d ever be.

“And those _trophies_ you wear can’t cover up the stench of _tainted meat_.”

\---

Maui snorted at that - shiny seashells, his left buttcheek - but let the other remarks roll off of him. He was already as angry as he could get; nothing Tamatoa said now would change _anything._ He began his stroll again, eyes flitting over the giant, shiny crab. There was more to that shiny bric-a-brac, he was certain of it.

Hook slung over his shoulder, he brought his hands up and slowly cracked each knuckle in turn. “If I’m tainted meat, I shudder to think what that makes _you,_ ” he replied. “When we’re done here, I’ll be sure to warn Aiata away from eating what’s left of you. Wouldn’t want you to cause her any more suffering than you already have, would we?”

\---

The growl deepened, rumbling through him with building ire.  It took all Tamatoa’s will to not spring forward too soon.He needed to get this fight on _his_ terms.  He couldn’t charge in blindly again.  This time, he needed to force _Maui_ to lose his cool.  To that end, Tamatoa drove one last sharp barb in.

Lips pulled back over clenched teeth, twisting in a murderous rictus.  “At least she would mourn _me_.  Who cares about you?   _Nobody_.  If you were gone, the humans might be sad for a day or two, but then they’d find a _real_ demigod to celebrate instead.  And you’d be _forgotten_.  They wouldn’t even wonder what became of you.  Yesterday’s news.”

His claws flexed, ready to attack.

“They’d abandon even your memory.  Just like the ones who dumped you into the sea.”

\---

Well. How about that.

Maui had been wrong. Tamatoa _did_ have something to say that could, after all, make Maui even _more_ furious.

Him, forgotten? After everything he’d done? Not a chance.

He cracked his neck, then adjusted his grip on his hook. It was time to show Tamatoa just how _unforgettable_ he was.

Without warning, he charged.

\---

Tired, streaked with mud and blood, Aiata stood in the pouring rain outside a well-hidden cave.  The entrance was disguised by heavy greenery and blocked by mossy boulders and the trunks of ancient trees, but it was there--just as Koera had said it would be.

Aiata got to work without delay, pushing aside her pain and exhaustion to heave boulders out of the way and knock aside the old trees until a path had been cleared.  Even with the debris cleared away, it was going to be a tight fit.The tunnel into the mountain was only barely larger than Aiata herself and she would have to duck low to get inside.

It plunged away into darkness, leading not horizontally, but vertically into the depths of the earth.  Pure inky blackness awaited, echoing eerily with hollow, empty sounds.Apprehension seized her as she gazed into that seemingly bottomless abyss.   For centuries she had made her home underground, so never before had a _tunnel_ seemed so foreboding.

She sure hoped she could get back _out_ once the deed was done.

“Okay, here we go,” she murmured, as much to gird herself as to warn Tuahangata.

Then she crouched down and crawled inside.  Darkness enveloped her and she let her own lights glow softly into existence, illuminating the cramped passageway.  The sound of rain faded away as she proceeded, and within moments the tunnel slanted sharply downwards.

It was no longer a matter of walking here, but one of _climbing_.  Aiata clung to the rocky floor--now the wall--and began her descent.  She moved as fast as she could, given the claustrophobic conditions and the precariousness of each hold on the wall.  There was little time to waste, not when Tamatoa was up there fighting to get Maui’s hook.

She climbed deeper into the fathomless darkness.

\---

Tuahangata didn’t have much skin left, but it was crawling all the same.

Sound didn’t echo correctly in this tunnel. Aiata’s bioluminescent glow seemed to barely touch the walls that crowded around them, when it should reflect back. And there was something _else,_ besides, that gave him a foreboding feeling. Something unnameable; only a sense of dread.

“Oppressive atmosphere in here,” he quipped, trying to use cheer to drive the darkness back. “Probably intentional. Wouldn’t want just anyone wandering in and sinking the island by mistake.”

\---

Aiata’s lip quirked into a half smile as she climbed ever downward.  “No, indeed not.”

‘Oppressive’ was a mild way of describing the subterranean passage they found themselves in.  Seeking to dispel some of that darkness herself, she turned an eye to Tuahangata, still tucked against her neck.

“Maui said something back there about an _old island_.  Did he--” she hesitated, her voice softening as she adjusted her course.  “You had a mate there?A... family?”

_Family_ was a somewhat foreign concept to a crab, but she knew _love_ when she saw it.  Aiata was intimately familiar with the bonds that formed between mated partners, the trust and devotion which could span a lifetime.  The echoes of that, colored with the pain of loss, had been plain to see in Tuahangata’s earlier outburst at Maui.

\---

Tuahangata was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected Aiata - or _anyone,_ really - to ever ask in kindness about that island again.

“Yes,” he began, but his voice was suddenly rough. He cleared his throat quickly. 

“Yes,” he continued, “My wife lived there. We and our many children, and soon our many grandchildren. Hinemoa was mortal, of course, and so were our children. When she-” his voice cracked, unexpected emotion welling up from nowhere. 

He couldn’t think about that now. She was still too fresh a loss for him.

“Anyway, it was much later that Maui angered Pele there. Said crass things, encouraged a kupua’s advances towards her. The whole island was destroyed because of him. Many escaped, but many - _too_ many - did not.”

He sighed. “I wasn’t even there. I didn’t even learn of it until Maui was punished months later. Even then, he apologized for angering Pele, but he did not, never _once,_ apologize for the loss of life. Blamed it on Pele herself, the fool. He suffered for that, too.”

Tuahangata blinked then, coming back to himself. “ _My_ apologies, Aiata. I do not mean to ramble on events long past when we have far more pressing matters at hand.”

\---

There was sadness in Aiata’s eyes as Tuahangata spoke.  To lose one’s mate _and_ have their offspring slaughtered must be an unbearable burden to carry across the centuries.  Aiata’s thoughts returned to the terrible sight of Tamatoa laying still and bloodied on that bluff, leg mutilated after the fight with Maui.  The pain that had gripped her heart had been unspeakable.And Tuahangata had been carrying that pain for centuries.

Demigods and monsters had long been bitter enemies—and often for good reason, as Maui had so adroitly proved—but in that moment and in the face of such common ground, Aiata felt a growing kinship with Tuahangata.

When he finished his tale, she bent an antennae back to gently touch his face.  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

Maui left a wake of destruction and pain behind him everywhere, it would seem.  Whether by callous disregard or by malicious intent, it made little difference.Either way, lives were ruined.  Aiata’s eyes hardened.

“We’re going to put a stop to it,” she told him firmly.  “He’s not going to hurt anyone else after this.”

With her purpose thus reaffirmed, she climbed on, dropping deeper into the cloying darkness.

Farther ahead, there was a faint glimmer of hazy red light breaking through the shadows.  As she approached, it grew brighter, a wavering sheen that highlighted the narrowing walls of the rocky shaft.

“I think… I think that’s it,” she breathed.

\---

After everything and despite the fear curling deep within him, Tamatoa was ready for this fight.

Anticipating Maui’s charge, he waited until the absolute last second before leaping out of the demigod’s path.  He spun back around, pivoting like a dancer to strike savagely at Maui’s back as he rushed by.

All the while, he kept up the glib facade.  “Hey, don’t fret, Maui man,” he piped up as he struck.  “The humans may forget you, but I’ll at least remember how _disgusting_ of a snack you were.”

\---

Maui rolled with the strike and came up on his feet, spinning to face the crab. 

His lips quirked. “From what I understand, demigod flesh is actually considered a prized delicacy. Didn’t hear any complaints when I fed Tua’s body to the mortals, anyway.”

Maui stepped left, beginning to circle, watching Tamatoa. “What is it with you and food, anyway? Snack this, meat that, scavengers, playing with your food. Are you hungry? Do you need to take a break?”

He relaxed his stance even as he continued his circle. “I mean, just say the word, if you don’t think you can face me without some extra nutrition. I want this to be a fair fight, you know. As fair as it can be when you’re, well, you know… _you.”_

\---

Tamatoa _laughed_ jeeringly again at Maui’s slights and laughed even _harder_ at the bizarre hypocrisy of Maui feeding his fellow demigod to the humans.  After a confession like that, Maui was going to question _his_ eating habits?  It was hilariously ridiculous.

He didn’t let it distract him, though, and matched Maui’s circling, never taking his eyes off his opponent.  How was he going to get in close enough--and for long enough--without getting cut in two by that hook?

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t eaten all day.”  He beckoned Maui nearer with a taunting smirk and a snap of his claw.  “But come a little closer and I’ll remedy that soon enough.”

He kept the banter coming, anything to keep Maui’s attention split while he tried to figure out the best angle to approach this.

\---

Maui snorted at that. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Better chew thoroughly, wouldn’t want me to be pummeling you from the inside.”

Actually… that wasn’t a bad idea. Maui tilted his head to the side as he considered, briefly.

Eh, sure, why not? The rain would make this difficult, but not impossible.

Once more he charged. At the last moment, as Tamatoa’s claws were rushing in, he jumped, right towards the crab’s face. The claws followed him, of course, but _here_ was the fun part:

With a flash of blue light, Maui transformed into a beetle. With a flutter of wings and dodging the drops of rain, he aimed himself directly at the crab’s mouth. If he could get inside, this would be over in moments.

\---

Tamatoa balked in alarm as he realized what Maui’s words and the transformation flash heralded.  That was _not_ what he expected, nor what he _intended_ , and given what Tuahangata had told him, _not what he wanted!_

His mouth snapped shut and he jerked backwards, eyes wide.   _Too_ close!   _Too close!_

Skittering back, he swatted at the beetle with a claw, trying to bat it away from himself.

\---

With mad delight, Maui zipped around, unerringly getting closer and closer to Tamatoa’s face as the crab tried _so hard_ to flick him away. But the crab was so _big,_ and Maui so small; it was more than easy to ride the wake of the air as Tamatoa swung his claws around ineffectively.

Even so, as entertaining as it was to taunt and bait his foe, the crab’s mouth was sealed shut. He must have caught on to Maui’s plan, which was disappointing, and a direct contradiction of all his threats besides.

Fine, so stabbing the crab from the inside out was no longer an option. That didn’t mean Maui was going to waste this opportunity. He buzzed his beetle wings into a fast, tight arc, sweeping himself up above Tamatoa’s head. In the blink of an eye, he transformed again.

The crab’s antenna was _right there_ , and Maui grabbed it. He swung down, yanking Tamatoa’s head around and jerking his face near the ground. Stunned and off-balance, Tamatoa missed his next swing against Maui, even as Maui brought his hook up against his captive’s neck.

He’d gloat later, when Tamatoa was bleeding out before him. For now, he pressed his weapon into that soft skin, watched as blue blood began to well up.

Then the earth lurched beneath his feet.

Maui staggered. “What the fu-?”

\---

It was with much gratitude that Tuahangata received the comforting touch upon his cheek. Between the memories and the awful enclosure of this cave, he was in real need of grounding and kindness.

And that oppressive feeling only grew worse as they continued deeper. Tuahangata squeezed his eyes closed, fighting off what almost felt like nausea. How _unusual;_ he was disinclined to claustrophobia, did not fall susceptible to illness. And yet…

“I think that’s it,” Aiata said, softly. Tuahangata opened his eyes and looked past her, saw the red haze hovering. Ah. Yes, that _would_ explain his growing discomfort, wouldn’t it? The exact kind of thing designed to keep a demigod _out._

“Oh,” he said, surprise and disbelief coloring his tone. “That’s a magical barrier. The touchstone would be right behind it, but that… that is a problem.”

\---

“A barrier?”

Something in the air tingled against Aiata’s antennae, a faint buzz that was deeply unsettling.  It sent a shiver running through her for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.Compounded with Tuahangata’s words, a feeling of dread began to creep in.

She climbed closer to the red glow, picking a careful path towards it.  The tunnel narrowed ever more as she got nearer to the glow and she could feel jagged, stony points scraping across her back.  Finally, she could go no further.The glow was just within reach of her claws, however, from where she was wedged.She couldn’t get a clear view of what was in it, but she could at least access it.

Her voice shook, ever so slightly, as she asked a question she feared the answer to.

“What--what’s the problem?”

\--- 

Tuahangata’s mouth was dry as he answered. “Well, it’s a _barrier._ We can’t get through. Strength of force would just bounce off, so you could not force it. Magic like that, we would need something _else_ magical to negate it. If we _already_ had Maui’s hook, that should be enough.”

He swallowed. “But just you and me? There’s nothing we can do.”

They’d have to go back. Go back and get the hook and _hope_ Maui was incapacitated long enough for them to trigger the collapse _and_ escape. It was an impossible list.

Tuahangata tried not to acknowledge the despair creeping over him.

\---

Aiata stared into the glowing red light, Tuahangata’s dire words landing heavily upon her.  If they couldn’t do this, all was lost.Even if they escaped to Lalotai, Maui would track them down and kill them there.  Death was certain, the only uncertainty was how long it would take.

But then her eyes drew closer together, widening with a sudden thought.  Wait.Hadn’t Tuahangata said something about a spear before? _His_ spear?  Was it….

“Something… _magical?_ ” she echoed.

She shifted her weight in the cramped space, delicately maneuvering to get a claw under herself.  Tiny rear claws reached to pass forward the object Tamatoa had given her.It was a spear.She hadn’t given it much consideration, given all her other concerns, when Tama had handed it to her.  But now…

“Would _this_ work?” she asked, lifting it into Tuahangata’s view.

\---

Tuahangata stared in shock and naked wonder as Aiata held up his spear, _Tane._ All of his doubt, and every ounce of fear, evaporated at its sight.

And there was no time to lose.

“Yes!” he crowed, delight suffusing his voice. “Yes, that will work, just stab it right through the center!”

He couldn’t stop the flow of words now, even as Aiata moved to do just as he’d said. “Maui said he’d _burned_ it, but of course he lied, I don’t know _why_ I believed him, and he probably tossed my body into a volcano or someth-”

Tuahangata cut off as the ground lurched beneath them.

\---

Aiata tightened her grip on the wall as the world pitched beneath her.  The red glow, pierced by the greenstone tip of the spear, pulsed brightly, bathing the narrow shaft in brilliant light.  From somewhere far below, she heard a great cracking sound as the very foundations of the island began to shatter.A deep rumble followed on its heels, roaring through the enclosed space.  She hung on desperately as everything began to shake violently and stones clattered painfully down upon her from above.

Time to go.

She jerked the spear free, then scuttled backwards.  Using all her legs and her hind claws, she hauled herself out of the tight crevice as fast as she could.  As soon as she had enough room to turn, she made a sharp about-face, tucked the spear back under her, and began a fast, urgent climb to the surface.  The ground jolted and bucked, but she held on with all she had left and kept going.Exhaustion be damned, she _had_ to get them out before the whole tunnel collapsed around her.

And it was likely to do so if she didn’t hurry.  She poured all her wearied strength into it, dragging herself up bit by enervated bit.  Just a little further.But she was so tired and it was so far. _Keep going._

She could see the pale hints of storm-faded daylight overhead.

_Almost there._

\---

If the cave had been dark and oppressive _before_ Aiata broke the barrier, it was downright _terrifying_ after. 

It was _collapsing_ on top of them. And Aiata wasn’t moving nearly as fast as Tuahangata knew she could go. The weight of the past days was settling upon her, and his Chieftess was flagging.

“You can do this, Aiata,” he called over the din of the earth tearing itself apart. “You’ve come so far already, all you have to do now is _get out._ ”

He winced as she barely managed to avoid a large rock to the face, but it still struck her shell behind him. “Just a few more steps,” he continued. “You’re almost there. And Tamatoa will be waiting for you!”

The sky was growing closer. It wasn’t far now.

\---

Aiata’s legs trembled, exhaustion seeping into her limbs as she fought to escape the hell that threatened to entomb them.  She was so _tired_.  She had been fighting for what seemed like an eternity, days and days on end.  All she wanted was to _rest_.  A jagged rock grazed the massive wound in her neck and pain spiraled out from it.  Her progress faltered.

Then Tuahangata’s encouraging words began to rise above the terrible cacophony that roared around them.

_Just a few more steps._

And _Tamatoa_.  Tama _would_ be waiting for her.  They would escape to Lalotai.  They would be _free_.

She clenched her jaw and rallied her strength, letting it carry her upward with renewed vigor.  The surface was so close.Every reach of her claws brought it closer.Her focus narrowed.

The light grew brighter around them.

Another reach, another span nearer.  

She could feel warm rain on her face.

Another reach.

There was a roar of rock falling behind them.

Another reach.

Aiata dragged them out of the earth and into the open air.

\---

It all happened so fast, Tamatoa barely realized what was happening.  All he registered was the sharp, agonizing pain as his sensitive antenna was roughly yanked down.  His head was jerked down with it, down to ground level, down to _Maui’s_ level.  His field of vision was filled with _Maui._  And with it came the spike of fresh pain in his neck, the sharp point of the hook sinking into his unprotected flesh.

There was _triumph_ in the demigod’s face.  Fear flashed through Tamatoa once more, rising up to swamp him as he saw all their plans suddenly fall apart before him.

Then the earth jolted sharply and a deafening crack of sound resonated from the very heart of the island.

Aiata had done it!  All the fear fled in a heartbeat, replaced with jubilance.  The island would sink and his foe was right where he needed him--only inches away from his face.

Maui was cursing, disoriented and distracted by the sudden quaking of the earth itself.

Tamatoa was not.  He had been anticipating this, after all.  Forgetting his pain and fear and everything except the task at hand, he swept his claw back.  Reaching behind him into the glittering hoard on his shell, he took up Nākahi’s fang.

He raised it high, its pale, white surface gleaming dully in the clouded light that crept beneath the leaden sky.

Then he brought it down, plunging it straight into Maui’s heart.

\---

_Pain_ seized its way through Maui, radiating out from his chest. Pain like he hadn’t felt in a thousand years.

In disbelief, Maui looked down. Something was sticking out of his chest. His hands squeezed reflexively, and he took a short, unsteady step back.

He looked at Tamatoa, took in the look on his face. Victory and relief but smudged with pain. Why was _he_ in pain, he hadn’t been stabbed yet.

Oh, right. Maui had cut his neck. Still held his antenna.

All at once the world sharpened again, and Maui refocused. He took another step back, and with a snarl he gave the antenna in his hand a sharp _yank._ It broke free; the _second_ limb he’d torn from Tamatoa.

Deaf to Tamatoa’s screams, Maui dropped the antenna and reached his hand back to his chest, pulled the _thing_ back out. What even was it? Tamatoa had _met_ Tua’s head, he _knew_ he couldn’t kill Maui. What was the point of-

It was a fang. A krait’s fang. The mate to the one whose tip dangled from his necklace.

Maui’s eyes widened, even as the venom began to do its awful work. He stepped back again, but it became a stumble. He had to _heal_ this, had to change the venom right away, _right away,_ or Tamatoa would do who-knew-what and-

The ground lurched again and Maui fell to his knees. What was going on?!

No, no time to wonder. He squeezed the fang in his fist, crushing large pieces of it to powder. It wasn’t as good as blood, but Tamatoa had chosen his weapon well. He slapped his chest, pressing the powdered fang into the wound, and brought his hook up, ready to heal.

Putting pressure on on the stab-wound, Maui concentrated. His hook glowed a brilliant blue, and he closed his eyes.

\---

Tamatoa let out a shrill scream as his captive antenna was snapped in half, the pain concentrated and _blindingly_ intense on a level nearly as bad as losing his leg.  His vision went hazy for a moment, his senses overwhelmed and filled with static as fire seared through them.

When his vision cleared, he saw Maui on his knees, hook pressed to his chest and glowing blue.  

Tamatoa instantly recognized the attempt to heal the wound.  Ohhhh no, not a _chance!_

He slammed the edge of his claw down onto the demigod, pounding him flat into the mud.

When he pulled his claw away, the demigod lay on his back, hook loosened in his grasp.  Tamatoa snatched it up, yanking it free while Maui was stunned and unable to resist as the venom began to take effect.

“ _I’ll_ take that,” he crowed.

Then his eyes fell on the chunk of exoskeleton dangling at Maui’s waist.  With his other claw, Tamatoa grabbed ahold of it and tore it roughly away.

A sneer crossed his face.  “Guess you won’t be getting a _trophy_ this time, Maui man.”

He tossed the fragment of his exoskeleton in his mouth, crunching down on it.  Maui wouldn’t be getting it back, nor any _other_ piece of him.  To that end, he grabbed the discarded half of his torn antenna off the ground as well, throwing it down the mountainside.

He gave Maui a jaunty, flippant wave of his claw.  “Enjoy your stay.”

Then he turned and bolted downhill towards the forest.  It was time to leave this place.

And Aiata would be waiting for him.

\---

Tuahangata gasped for breath - unneeded as it was - when Aiata finally managed to free herself from the cave. She had not seemed to notice the tunnel collapsing around them, and he had deemed it imprudent to point it out.

Still, she was slouched upon the wet, muddy ground, obviously exhausted. Tuahangata wanted to let her rest, _hated_ to have to say what he needed to say, but there was nothing for it.

“Aiata, you _must_ get up,” he declared. “You have succeeded in your task, and this island _will_ be sinking.” The ground lurched under them again, as if to emphasize his point.

“All you have to do now is get to Lalotai before this island takes you with it. Get up, Chieftess. Arrive before Tamatoa and when he gets there, ask him what took him so long, and listen as he tells you about his magnificent battle. But you _must! Go! Now!”_

\---

Aiata lay slumped where she had emerged, eyes drooping closed, head fuzzy from blood loss, and body utterly exhausted.  She didn’t want to get up again; her body demanded _rest_.  It was _daylight_ , after all, time to _sleep_.  But a voice kept talking, urging and goading her to keep going.  Was it Tama?No, not Tama.

She shook her head to clear it and recognition swam in and out.  She remembered now:The voice was Tuahangata, his tone urgent and demanding.  She shook her head again and finally the world took focus again.

_Go! Now!_

Yes.  Yes, she had to get them to the portal.  Had to get to Tama.

Aiata struggled to stand, fighting to get her legs under her.  She had to dig her dactyls into the wet earth to stem the wobbling, but she made it back up as Tua called out more encouragement.

Finally, her eyes sharpened and she came back to herself, the moment of delirium fading away to the fringes.

The portal wasn’t too much farther, it was closer to here than the top of the mountain.  She could make it.She forced herself into motion, turning down the next path and setting off at the fastest pace she could manage.

_Just a little farther_.

\---

Maui lay there, disbelief spreading through his body even faster than the krait venom. He had been winning - _had won!_ \- and now everything was a crumbling disaster.

He was paralyzed. His hook was stolen. The ground was shaking ominously. And Tamatoa, rather than stay and gloat or beat him or anything else, had _fled._

That did not bode well. Not at _all._ Tamatoa knew what was going on and didn’t want to be around for it, even at the expense of leaving Maui here, alone and unguarded.

_That_ was a mistake. Maui may have been born and died as a human, but he wasn’t a demigod _now_ for nothing. So his body had been envenomed? So he couldn’t heal himself? So what.

Maui clenched his fists. Getting up now was going to be a feat of sheer _will._ And Maui had that in spades. 

He shouted, voice harsh and raw with effort, as he tensed his muscles to their breaking point. Pushed harder, _further,_ fighting against the paralysis.

He was Maui and he was _never going to stop!_

A knee bent. An elbow. Maui sat up.

It was painful. Every inch was a fight, every motion a struggle, as he dragged himself to his feet. Maui was woozy, dizzy from the effort it took, unsteady as several muscles still refused to work.

Maui stood, and looked after Tamatoa. The monster was far ahead of him now, racing headlong back down the mountain.

Far, yes. But perhaps not _too_ far.

Stumbling, teeth grit in effort and concentration, and one hand clutching at his bleeding wound, Maui stepped forward and began to follow.

Tamatoa was going to _pay for this._

\---

Tuahangata continued his encouragement as Aiata - wearily, occasionally stumbling - continued down the mountain.

He looked everywhere that he could. He knew _what_ he was looking for but was unfamiliar with this island; Koera had indicated a rocky overhang, under which they’d find the portal to Lalotai. But they were on a _mountain_ , there were more rocky overhangs than he could shake his spear at. And he’d never been to Lalotai, had seen portals to the realm of monsters only a very few times before.

Even so, Aiata was tired. She needed all the help he could give her, as paltry as it might be, so Tuahangata continued his litany of encouragement and praise, urging her to keep going.

In the back of his mind, however, he was keeping tabs on other things. The last few recalcitrant humans had fled the island at the first shake of the ground; they hovered offshore nearby, and he guessed that they were waiting for the worst to pass. He apologized, silently, for abetting the destruction of their home.

It was for the best.

Tuahangata was also keeping his senses trained on Maui, the only way he had to monitor the fight. The other demigod had been still for minutes now; either Tamatoa had succeeded and Maui was now incapacitated, or… or he _hadn’t._ There was no way to know for sure, not until something else happened.

So when, a moment later, he realized that Maui was _moving closer_ to them now, he despaired of their plan ending in success. Tamatoa was likely dead. Tuahangata’s priority now was to protect Aiata. He would tell her his news once they were safely in Lalotai.

He stopped mid-word in his encouragements as _something_ caught his eye: a rocky overhang, a swirl of purple.

“Aiata!” he shouted. “There! There it is!”

\---

At Tuahangata’s sudden shout, Aiata looked up with tired eyes to seek out what he’d spotted.  Then she saw it.Just up ahead, there was a hazy purple glow, shimmering in the space under a ledge.  Utter relief swept through her at the sight.They had made it!

She summoned up what strength she had left and hurried towards it, murmuring her thanks and gratitude to Tuahangata.

On either side of the overhang, there were piles of debris--trees and stones--that had likely concealed the portal previously and had now been cleared away.  The muddy pathway to it was trampled and uneven, as if churned by many other feet and claws.She could smell hints of other monsters faintly lingering in the area, too.  Apparently the island’s other inhabitants had found their way here to escape as well.Perhaps Koera had warned them after they had hatched their plan the day prior.

Had it really been a day ago?  It seemed like an _eternity_ since they fled her now-flooded tunnels.  She hadn’t slept more than a brief nap; she hadn’t eaten since they feasted on those scavenged bats.  And since, she had done nothing but run and fight.How had she even managed to keep going through all this?  How--

Aiata shook these thoughts off.  It didn’t matter, she was _here_ now.

She skidded to a stop right before the swirling portal.  Magic filled the air, sending a peculiar tingling through her antennae and settling oddly on her exoskeleton like prickly dust.

“We made it,” she breathed, tired and relieved in equal measure.

Then she turned from the portal, scanning the forested hillside for any sign of Tamatoa approaching, and braced herself to wait.

“C’mon Tama, _hurry_ ,” she whispered into the rain.

\---

Tamatoa raced down the hillside, clutching the hook tightly in his claw.  He’d done it!He’d gotten Maui’s fishhook!

The sweet thrill of _victory_ flooded through him.  He could scarcely believe it.  After all this, after everything they’d lost, they were going to _win!_

All he had to do now was get to the portal.  Koera had said it would be about half way down the mountain and gave them a general idea of what to look for, so he sprinted down the slope as fast as his three legs could carry him.

It was quite a hike down the mountain, though.  And the island was shaking apart all around him, the earth trembling and groaning like a living thing.  Boulders broke loose and tumbled past, racing him down the incline.Every so often, a heavy jolt would tear the ground out from under him and cause him to stumble.

Nevertheless, he pulled himself up each time and kept running.

\---

The flickering sensation of the portal’s magic was distracting, but at Aiata’s whispered summon for her mate, Tuahangata cleared his throat.

“Aiata,” he began, reluctantly. “Maui is still moving. He’s headed this way. It might… it might be best if we wait somewhere he can’t find us.”

He left unsaid his suspicion. It wouldn’t help Aiata now to think of Tamatoa, dead at Maui’s hands. But if she entered Lalotai now, they had a hope that Maui would not find the portal before its collapse, and pursue them there.

\---

Maui _hurt._

His blood hurt. His bones hurt. His muscles were on _fire._ And that was to say nothing of his chest, the wound to his heart that still beat, despite the gaping hole and spilling blood. It was knitting closed, and rather quickly at that, but it was taking _too long._

If he had his hook, Maui would’ve been healed in a matter of minutes. Without… well, he would still heal. It would just take much, _much_ longer.

He didn’t have that kind of time. Not as Tamatoa ran ahead. Not as the island shook and groaned and tore itself apart.

There was no fear within Maui; he was _Maui,_ and he would overcome this. He’d be victorious in the end. He just couldn’t _stop._

He pushed his legs harder, faster. He began to run. It was agony, but he did it anyway.

He had to catch up to Tamatoa. Had to get this back on track.

Maui could fix this if he kept going. He pushed himself into a sprint.

_You’re not free yet, Tamatoa,_ he thought.

\---

Aiata took in their surroundings.  There was no cover even approaching a size big enough to hide her bulk.  To wait in concealment, she’d have to go some distance from the portal.And that simply wasn’t going to work.

She turned an eye to Tuahangata, quirked at an angle.  What was he getting at?Where did he want her to--

Wait.

Realization dawned.  “You mean go _through_ the portal to wait?”  She shook her head vehemently at the suggestion.  “No, we need to be _here_.  I don’t want Tama showing up and thinking we didn’t make it.”

It troubled her, though, that Maui was approaching.  But he couldn’t possibly know where the portal was.So, perhaps it was just coincidence and the fight was just moving in this direction by chance.  She couldn’t--wouldn’t!--even consider any other alternative scenarios.

\---

The ground lurched again, and this time it didn’t seem to _stop._ Dust and gravel broke free from the overhang and cascaded down around them, and Tuahangata could feel the magic of the portal begin pulsating erratically.

“It won’t stay open much longer, I fear,” he spoke again. “If he- if the unthinkable has happened, I am certain that Tamatoa would want you to be safe.”

If he had his body, he would send Aiata ahead and wait himself. He could fend off Maui - the other demigod had never once beaten him alone, not in all of their battles - and Aiata was already battered and exhausted.

But that wasn’t an option. Not at the moment.

The magic pulsed again, then seemed, somehow, to diminish.

\---

Maui was catching up.

The ground was shaking unceasingly, and though it was agony, Maui raced ahead.

The island was being destroyed, he realized. Crumbling, _sinking._ And without his hook, without whatever escape Tamatoa was racing towards, Maui would be trapped.

That _couldn’t_ happen. Not to him!

But that same lurching movement of the ground was slowing Tamatoa. Maui watched him stumble again and again, his missing leg fouling the crab’s balance as he ran pell-mell down the mountain.

Maui pushed himself even _faster._ He was going to get that crab.

Then finish what he’d started.

\---

“I’m _not_ leaving without him,” Aiata told Tuahangata, completely firm in her resolve despite her exhaustion and despite the island coming down around them.

Tamatoa was coming.  He _had_ to be.  They had come too far and fought too hard to fail now.  She was _not_ going to leave him behind.

But then she saw the faint pulse of purple light, felt the odd tingling sensation in the air waver.  She looked to the portal.It was growing fuzzy and indistinct around the edges, losing its integrity.

“ _No_ ,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

The portal couldn’t close now!  Not when they were so close!She stared into that swirling pool of light with building apprehension.  It flickered again, pulsing erratically between a seemingly solid state and something more ephemeral.

Aiata knew nothing of portals, of how they worked or what they really _were_ , much less how to keep one open.  Nevertheless, a sudden thought struck her as she peered into that mysterious purple abyss.  Tentatively, she reached a claw forward to touch it.

As her pincer dipped into that maelstrom of light and magic, it sent a feeling like little sparks running up her arm.  As she watched, the portal suddenly began to strengthen and take a more substantial form.

“Tuahangata, I--,” she began slowly, not taking her eyes off the portal.  “I have an idea.”

\---

Maui was getting closer, far more quickly than Tuahangata could ever be comfortable with. The portal was flickering. They were rapidly running out of time.

“It couldn’t possibly hurt; whatever it is, go ahead!”

\---

Aiata squeezed her eyes shut, not _entirely_ sure this was going to work the way she hoped.  There was a chance that the portal _still_ might fail and, well, she didn’t want to think about what that would mean if it collapsed while she was still in it.

Pushing those disturbing thoughts from her mind, Aiata angled her body perpendicular to the portal and eased herself into the swirling light.  She stopped halfway, with two legs in the portal and two on the terra firma of the island.

With her bulk in the portal, she cautiously opened her eyes again.  The flickering had come to an immediate halt and the purple light snapped back to a steady, stable glow.  So far, so good.

“Oh, that… feels really weird.”

That was putting it mildly.  There was magic permeating every inch of her.  Being halfway between two worlds was a very strange and, ultimately, unnatural state to be in.  The magic swirled around her and left her feeling queasy.If she’d had anything in her stomach, she might well have brought it all back up.  Instead, she was simply nauseated with nothing to be done about it.

“Come on, Tama,” she murmured, trying to fight back the ill-effects of her current position.  “Where _are_ you?”

\---

Tamatoa careened down the hillside at a breakneck pace.  The island was going down faster now, the horizon creeping higher up the sky under the heavy clouds.  He had to hurry.

Where was the _damn portal?_  Where?  Had he passed it somehow?  He glanced over his shoulder to take his bearings.

Tamatoa’s heart nearly stopped beating.   _Maui!_  Maui was _chasing_ him!  How had he recovered so quickly from the fang?!  How was he _standing_ , let alone _running?_  All the warm feelings of _victory_ fled in an instant, chased away by returning fear.  Even without the hook, Maui was _lethally dangerous_.  And if he caught up--?

No, that _couldn’t_ happen.  Not when they were so close to freedom.  Tamatoa turned back to the path and strained to run faster, putting on a fresh burst of speed as he barreled down the mountain.

Then something caught his eye farther down the slope.  Looking ahead, he spotted a wide, muddy track.It looked like something large had passed that way, broken branches and leaning tree trunks meant it was not long ago, too.  He spun, changing his course and racing towards it.He cast what was left of his antennae low before him, searching for any trace of scent as he ran.The rain would wash most of it away, but there was a _chance_ that some faint hint remained.

Yes!  There!  It was just a sparse fragment, a tiny wisp clinging to the drier ground near the shaded base of a tree.  Despite the danger looming behind, Tamatoa couldn’t help but smile.He knew that scent. _Aiata!_  She had passed through this way and _recently_.

This _had_ to be the right direction.

He didn’t dare look back again, he just ran with everything he had.  Freedom and safety and Aiata were waiting for him.He couldn’t stop now.

He _wouldn’t_.

\---

Tuahangata was _entirely_ uncertain about Aiata’s apparent plan to keep the portal open by _standing in the middle of it,_ and was about to voice his opinion saying as much, when the magic did something interesting. It stabilized, and seemed to thicken, and filled his head almost as though he was drowning in it.

It was cloying, almost a scent, and it was itching his nose, itching his _mind-_

Something _popped._

In a burst of new, unfamiliar sensation, the magic that allowed Tuahangata to sense humans and their whereabouts suddenly expanded. He could sense mortals still, but something _else,_ as well. What was it? There were many _somethings_ on the far side of the portal, and some few on this side, and two-

Two close by. 

He could _feel_ Aiata with him. And he could feel something coming closer, rushing, _running,_ and behind it, too close, was Maui.

“Aiata!” he shouted, as realization dawned. “Tamatoa is-!”

Just then, Tamatoa crashed into sight.

\---

Tamatoa burst through a stand of trees, chasing the familiar scent on the ground.  Once clear of the trees, he looked up to see a sparkling purple glow illuminating a sheltered area under a stony ledge.

And silhouetted against that glow, a violet corona of light tracing her outline, was Aiata.  Relief and joy washed through him like the tide.In that moment, there was no finer sight in all the world.

She spotted him across the distance and he heard her shout his name, urge him to hurry.  She was halfway in the portal, beckoning him frantically with a claw.He called back to her, then pushed himself harder, racing towards the portal with absolutely everything he had.  His legs pounded the ground, but their thunder was lost to the pitch and sway of the earth itself.

Rocks were falling from the ledge, cascading down as he approached.  Down the mountainside, he could see _water_ rising up to overtake the land.  The sea was once again coming for them, but this time it would be _Maui_ who was chased by it.  A look over his shoulder showed the demigod still in pursuit.  This was going to be _close_.

Chaos was all around him as the island disintegrated.  The sky was dumping a deluge of rain, the earth was tearing apart in a roar of shattering stone, the sea was swelling up in angry grey waves flecked with dirty seafoam.  The cacophony of noise was overwhelming, but he could still hear Aiata’s voice ringing through it--calling him to safety.

Then he was _there_ and everything happened in a blinding rush.  Her pincer reached for him, grabbed his claw.He glanced behind him to see Maui closing in, face twisted and terrifying.  Aiata shouted something and pulled him close to her.They spun around, bathed in purple light.

Tamatoa shoved off the ground, claw in claw with Aiata, and together they leapt into the unknown.

Behind them, the portal collapsed into a glittering cloud of shiny dust.

\---

Tamatoa was _right there._ Maui was _so close._

With a roar he ran on, pushing himself to the limit, reaching for Tamatoa, he was _right there_ -

Maui’s fingers were inches away from the portal that the crabs had just jumped through when a wall of rock and gravel cascaded down in front of him. He stopped so quickly that he fell forward, catching himself on the edge of the pile. _No,_ he did _not_ need this setback right now; he dug his hands in and began to throw the rocks and boulders out of the way, digging through to get to the portal.

_Lalotai._ That’s where they had gone. Maui recognized a portal when he saw one. He just had to clear all this away then he’d follow them there.

He kept digging, and angry growl spilling from his lips, until he felt the oddest sensation: water washing across his feet and ankles. He looked down, and, startled by the fact there was _water_ up the _mountain_ , he looked up and around.

The sea was rushing in. The island was sinking. 

The island was sinking, and _he was still on it._

Disbelief washed over him. 

He looked back to the pile of rubble he was digging through. Now that his blind fury had evaporated, he could see that the portal was closed. No, not just closed, _gone._ Destroyed.

Maui took an unsteady step back.

All at once, the pain in his chest came back to him, and he staggered, falling to one knee and clutching at the wound. Maui looked around, saw the water rising. Rising _quickly._

He was wounded. He didn’t have his hook. The humans had all left, with all of their boats.

Maui was _trapped_ on a sinking island.

As these realizations began to strike down against him, Maui became _afraid._ He forced himself back to his feet, difficult as the ground continued to rumble and as the water reached his knees.

This wasn’t supposed to happen! He wasn’t supposed to _lose!_ He was _Maui,_ Demigod of the Wind and Sea, Hero to-

The earth buckled beneath him, and he fell.

Snarling, Maui forced himself back to his feet. There were too many emotions, too many thoughts, and he couldn’t focus through them; so he shoved them away, turned away from the pile of rocks that had once been an escape, and retreated up the mountain. He could not stay here, lest the island of Rīpekanga crumble on top of him and trap him, forever, under the ocean. He had to get to high ground, the _highest_ ground, if he didn’t want to fall to complete ruination.

Maui had lost. Somehow, eventually, he knew he’d have to come to grips with that, but for now, all he had to do was make it through this disaster in one piece.

He grit his teeth and climbed, and tried to decide where it had all gone wrong.

\---

The mad rush to get through the portal was over in an instant, but it was a moment in time Tuahangata doubted he’d ever forget. Lacking a better word for the sensation, he could only think, _This is very, very weird._

The magic buzzed against him not unlike a horde of angry bees, but at the same time a sense of welcome, of _belonging,_ permeated every molecule of his being. He felt stretched thin for a moment, half of him still in the mortal realm and half in the realm of monsters. Then he seemed to… _fill in,_ instead of snapping back together. Part of him would always be connected to the humans, he realized, but just as much of him was now connected to the monsters. 

But, here in Lalotai - and they had _made it!_ \- his sense of humans was muted, dull. He knew they were there, but it was as though they were so far away they had become mere background murmuring.

And Maui… Maui was gone entirely. 

In his place were two bright spots, both of them right next to Tuahangata now: Tamatoa and Aiata. 

“We did it,” he said, in stunned disbelief. Then, a little louder, relief pouring out from him, “We did it!”

Maui was left behind. He and his companions were safe from that particular terror.

It was over. 

\---

The bedlam of furious sound vanished in an instant and there was only a faint hum as the crabs fell through swirling magic into Lalotai.  Then they tumbled out of the whirlpool of light and onto solid ground.Gone was the howling wind, drenching rain, and rumbling earth, replaced instead with a warm, humid stillness and a rich panorama of foreign, yet somehow distantly familiar, scents and vibrant, glowing neon colors.

Tamatoa shook off the disorientation of their tumultuous arrival and his eyes sought out Aiata.  She was there with him, bloody and filthy, wounded and exhausted, but still standing.Their eyes met and everything else fell away.  He closed the space between them in an instant, wrapping his antennae--one missing half, the other whole--around hers in a tight embrace.  She closed her eyes and leaned in to rest her forehead against his in tired relief.

When they had parted on the mountaintop, he hadn’t been certain they would have a moment like this again.  They might never have enjoyed the pleasant warmth that flooded the senses with their antennae twined or the comfort that nearness brought again.  Either of them might have died and it was only by the narrowest of margins that they had avoided that fate.

But avoid it they had.  They had survived!After days without food or rest, weeks of hell, months of torment, and against all odds, they had made it.  They were _free_.

So for long, long moments neither said a word, nor made any move to separate, even as they distantly heard Tuahangata celebrating their arrival.  For long moments, nothing else existed but the connection between them.

When, at last, they did pull apart, each took in the state of the other.  Tamatoa was bruised and battered and he’d lost half his left antennae to match the missing leg on that same side.  Aiata was covered in mud and dark blue blood, heavy scratches across her back and her claws, and a horrific slashing wound down the side of her face and neck.  Both were deeply wounded, but those wounds would heal with time and molts.It was a small price to pay for their survival.

Aiata looked so exhausted that Tamatoa was surprised she was still upright at all, to be honest.  He reached forward with an antenna to gently touch her face.

“You look like hell,” he said, a gentle tease that echoed her own loving gibes to him before.

She gave him a weary, but warm smile in return.  “So do you.”

They turned, then, to look out upon their new home together.  Lalotai was alien and strange, a shock of color and light the likes of which neither of them had seen before.  Both he and Aiata had come ashore on the island of Rīpekanga as young crabs, once their aquatic larval life came to a close, and they had known no other home since.  Neither of them had ever seen the Realm of Monsters, the ancestral homeland of all their kind, nor heard more than whispers of legend about it.And yet, there was something vaguely familiar about it all.  Perhaps some form of species memory was buried in their more primal, instinctive hearts, waiting to be reawoken upon their arrival.Strange as it all seemed, there was something natural and reassuring about their being here.

It felt like coming home.

He glanced at Aiata’s face and could see his own sentiments reflected there.  He had a feeling that they were going to _enjoy_ this place.  A new world and a fresh start awaited them.

Tamatoa looked down at the fishhook, still clutched in his claw.  He could feel the power simmering within it.This new world might be waiting for them, but the hook served as a stark reminder of the dangers they had left behind.  He wouldn’t let himself forget that Maui couldn’t be _killed_.  They may have trapped him on whatever remnants of their old island remained, but he could _never_ be allowed to get this fishhook again should he get free.  Well, Tamatoa would just have to do whatever it took to keep it out of Maui’s hands again.

He glanced at Aiata, standing beside him.  She was carefully taking Tuahangata’s head from the crook of her shoulder and placing it on her shell.  Then she passed forward his spear and laid it there beside him.He heard her murmur sincere, heartfelt thanks to the demigod, who was wearing quite an odd, yet content, expression on his face.

Tamatoa still wasn’t sure about Tuahangata.  Sure, he had helped them and it seemed Aiata had grown fond of him after whatever trials they had endured on that mountain, but he was still a _demigod_.  And Tamatoa had, understandably, grown rather wary of demigods.

But he could see the genuine respect in the demigod’s eyes when he looked upon Aiata, so perhaps Tamatoa would give him a chance.  Besides, it might be nice to have a demigod on _their_ side.  Even if he was just a severed head.

Tamatoa down looked at the fishhook again and grinned.  It was _his_ now, hard won.  Maui had wanted to take a trophy from him, but it seemed he had taken a trophy from Maui.  And he knew just where to put it.

Tamatoa placed the hook on the apex of his shell, atop the pile of shining treasure he had accumulated in their final hours upon the island.

Then, he reached over to take Aiata’s claw, supporting her as she had supported him, and together they walked into the wilds of Lalotai to begin a new life.

\---

It was midmorning before the rains finally cleared. With Tua no longer here to summon them, they had other places to be, Maui supposed.

The demigod sat perched near the apex of the tallest mountain, watching as the skies lightened and the sunlight highlighted the destruction all around him. The island had not completely toppled into the the sea, but _most_ of it had certainly disappeared. There was this former peak and two others nearby, and a deep but narrow lagoon stretched between them, the water sparkling cheerfully under the bright sun.

There were very few plants left, and even fewer that bore any fruit. There was precious little shade. Maui was stuck here, and it looked to be a rather uncomfortable stay.

Further out, the waters churned, even now. He had not asked the Sea what was going on, but it looked as though currents were rearranging themselves. It was far too early to tell how, but it would certainly impact any wayfinding humans looking for the old, familiar routes.

And Maui just… sat. Sat and took everything in.

Around noon, he guessed by the sunlight, an old, familiar sensation tickled across his back, beneath his shoulder. A new tattoo was forming; the first one he’d gained in decades.

Maui’s back was for his failures and shortcomings. A tattoo forming there would be a mark of his defeat here on Rīpekanga.

He could not see it - even a demigod couldn’t bend like that - but nonetheless he knew, as he always had, what the new tattoo portrayed: Maui himself, ground crumbling beneath him, and Tamatoa making off with his hook.

It was a simplification, of course, but it wasn’t incorrect. Tamatoa, with the aid of others, had defeated Maui and stolen his most prized possession.

Absently, he fingered his necklace, remembered each battle that had garnered him a trophy if not a tattoo. Each of those had been grand battles. Last night had not been _anything_ like any of them.

Maui sighed, stretching as he lay back against the mountain, staring up at the clear blue sky. He was angry still, of course, but mindless raging would accomplish nothing. That had been his ultimate downfall, he decided: he’d been _too_ angry at Tamatoa’s betrayal. _Too_ focused on having his own way. It had blinded him to reason, had kept him from employing proper angles of attack.

It was not a mistake Maui would make again.

And there would be an ‘again,’ oh yes. Maui wouldn’t be trapped here forever. Like his tattoos, his situation could, and _would,_ change. Eventually, the humans would find him and he would escape this trap. Not long after that, he would get his hook back and pick up this fight where it had left off. He had lost this battle, sure; but Maui would _never stop._

This wasn’t over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week is the final chapter to wrap it all up!


	16. Eggpilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we start this chapter, I just wanted to share all the absolutely amazing art that we have been sent by our wonderful readers!  
>   
> SpanishMonkeys:  
> [Tamatoa and His Mate](https://spanishmonkeys.tumblr.com/post/183785719455/super-quick-sketch-of-tamatoa-and-his-mate-aiata)  
> ALSO MUSIC: [Evil Maui's "You're Welcome" on Piano](https://spanishmonkeys.tumblr.com/post/183927052630/raptor-moons-and-jadewolf-writess-fanfic)
> 
> Yukikotam:  
> [Aiata](https://yukikotam.tumblr.com/post/181759867653/aiata-for-a-long-time-i-wanted-to-draw-her-33)  
> [Different Sketches](https://yukikotam.tumblr.com/post/183327310368/different-sketches-iam-so-sorry-i-didnt)  
> [It Looked Very Familiar](https://yukikotam.tumblr.com/post/183900033063/ripenkanga-it-looked-awfully-familiar-the-little)  
>   
> YouWillBoardMyShip:  
> [Family Portrait](https://youwillboardmyship.tumblr.com/post/184122573453/jadewolf-writes-requested-this-for-raptor-moon)  
> [Koera](https://youwillboardmyship.tumblr.com/post/183947460748/koera-is-the-godzilla-like-monster-in-the)  
>   
> And, for a little more art… here’s all the stuff for this story by jadewolf:  
> [In The Tunnels](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/In-the-Tunnels-763192536)  
> [Aiata Daylight](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Daylight-761763146)  
> [Aiata Bioluminescence](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-Bioluminesence-761763284)  
> [Aiata is Angry](https://www.deviantart.com/jadewolf42/art/Aiata-is-Angry-764308596)

Aiata awoke not long after sunset, relaxed and comfortable.  Her wounds had healed nicely, leaving only heavy scars and occasional nightmares behind.  But she had slept well today, untroubled by visions of their harrowing experience on the island, and had only been roused from that pleasant sleep by a faint flicker of movement against her.

It wasn’t from Tamatoa, fast asleep and pressed close, however.  He had let Aiata prop her front half up on his shell so that she could sleep comfortably while keeping their clutch of eggs, attached to the pleopods on her abdomen, safely off the ground.  Together, they were piled cozily in the cavernous shell they had claimed not long after their arrival in Lalotai.  Pale moonlight already filtered in through the watery skylight above them.

Content and happy, she smiled.  Then she again felt the insistent flutter which had awakened her.  She turned her eyes to peer at her eggs, their tiny larvae moving energetically, easily visible within the soft, translucent capsules.  This was the largest clutch she’d ever had, with well over five thousand eggs--Tamatoa had counted each and every one--and all of them viable.  Privately, she wondered if their time spent around a fertility demigod had been a factor in their extraordinarily prolific season, but she had refrained from saying as much.  Tamatoa was always  _quite_  proud of himself and the mere  _suggestion_  that their proximity to Tuahangata had played even an  _auxiliary_  role in their success might be a bit too much for his ego to bear.  She smirked, amused at the thought.

Either way, she was hopeful that with such large numbers, more would survive the harsh realities of their world.  She would never see them again, of course, and would never recognize them even if she did.  Nevertheless, she wanted the best for them all.

And now it was time to send them out into that world.  She and Tamatoa had already found a suitable spot to release them.  Sure, it wasn’t quite the same as Tamatoa’s favorite beach, where they had performed this ritual for two centuries, but it was special in its own way.  Truly, it was a special time of new beginnings for them all:  a new life for her and Tamatoa, and even for Tuahangata, and now for the thousands of new lives about to begin their own journey.

Still smiling, she closed her eyes and rested her head back against Tamatoa’s shell.  Tonight was the night, but it could wait just a little longer.  For now, she enjoyed the peace of the evening and the comfort of being in pleasant company.

\---

Tamatoa watched as Aiata waded into the water where the sea curved down from overhead to meet the sandy shore in a surreal, twisted beach.  The full moon glittered overhead, distorted and indistinct, filtered through the watery sky above.  Her strong legs stirred the plankton in the sea, sending swirls of glowing blue and green light curling in her wake, a counterpoint to her own fiercely burning bioluminescence.  She was a sight to behold, moving with such powerful grace and purpose, and Tamatoa felt a great swell of pride as he watched her.  He really was lucky to have her, lucky she had chosen him that summer so long ago.

A wave rolled in, cresting over her abdomen where clusters of eggs were waiting.  It only took a moment, but with a deft flick of her tail the deed was done.  Their eggs were released into the seawater to hatch as the water washed over them.  Thousands of their eager, hungry little children burst free and were swept out by the retreating wave, drifting off at the mercy of an unforgiving tide to begin their lives.

Tamatoa had seen this familiar scene play out each year for nearly two centuries, their final act of summer before going their separate ways again.  It was always bittersweet--the end of one thing, the beginning of something new.  Precious few of those tiny larvae would survive to make it onto land as crabs, even fewer would live to see adulthood as he and Aiata had.  But some  _would_  beat the odds and go on to colonize distant shores--a small spark of hope and renewal in a harsh and difficult world.  He hoped fervently that they never,  _ever,_  had to deal with  _anything_  like what he and Aiata had just gone through.

Aiata leaned down once all the eggs had been swept into the water and Tamatoa heard her whisper softly, affectionately, into the sea.  “Good luck.”  It was a gentle and fond farewell to the young they had produced, yet would never see again.

Then she straightened and strode elegantly out of the water, rejoining him on the shore.  Their antennae touched, joining in that familiar embrace, and they shared a long look.  So much had happened, so much had been turned upside down in just a few short months.  For creatures living on a long scale of time like their own, such drastic change in such a short period was nearly unfathomable and might have destroyed lesser monsters--and that was to say nothing of the lethal threat posed by a mad demigod.  They had endured it all, though, and survived.  Not without scars--his eyes drifted to Aiata’s neck, marred by a thick white line, and the stump of his missing leg twitched at the memory of his own wounds--but together they had made it through just the same.

Everything was different now, though, far from the island Tamatoa had known his whole life.  He glanced back from the shore, taking in the wide expanse stretching out behind them.  Lalotai was enormous, endless and filled with the  _unknown_.  It felt immensely vast and it even seemed a little  _empty_  compared to the dense, compact island they had come from.

Tamatoa turned back to Aiata.  This was the moment where they would typically say their goodbyes, as they had every year since they first paired off.  Crabs were solitary outside of mating season, that’s just how things were.  This time, however, after all they had endured, the parting seemed much more difficult than it ever had before.  His next words were pried from him with great reluctance.  “So… until next summer?”

Her lip quirked into a half smile.  “Oh, I don’t know about that.”

Tamatoa felt a jolt run through him at those words and his eyes went wide, filled with sudden doubts.  It only  _now_  occurred to him that there were probably  _other_  monster crabs down here, likely far bigger ones than himself.  Her options wouldn’t be so limited as they were on their island, where it had been centuries since there had been other crabs like them in residence.  Would Aiata find someone  _else_  next mating season?  His heart clenched; the very thought of losing her  _now_ , after everything, was painful beyond measure.  Would she--

There was a gentle touch against his antennae and he was brought out of his swiftly spiraling thoughts.  Aiata’s eyes were sharp and knowing as they bored into him, almost as if she could peer right into his thoughts.  But there was a curiously bright gleam in them, too.

“Actually, I thought I might  _stay_.”

Her words blindsided him and his jaw fell open.  He sputtered a moment, before finally getting a coherent word out.  “Really?”

“Lalotai’s a big place,” she said.  “Do you really want to carve out a territory here and try to hold it all on your  _own?_ ”  To his surprise, her smile turned playful, wicked and teasing.  “Besides, someone has to keep you out of trouble.”

A grin blossomed across Tamatoa’s face, matching the one Aiata wore.  Well then, it really  _was_  a new life for them!  And he had little doubt that it would be a  _good_  one.

Yes, everything was going to be just fine.

\---

It was dusk in Lalotai; night would be upon the realm before long. Tuahangata sat, alone; peaceful and content. He held his spear,  _Tane,_  in one hand and braced against his shoulder, letting it take some of his weight as he leaned sideways.

His eyes were closed, but he saw no less of the magnificent glow that was Lalotai.  _Everything_  here was as bright as a spark and glowed no matter the time of day, at least to him.

On the edge of his awareness, he felt it as a bundle of dormant sparks flared brightly, right next to the two that he was intimately familiar with. Tuahangata smiled.

It was time.

He knew where to go, and arrived just as Tamatoa and Aiata approached the beach. He watched over them from a nearby outcropping of rock, protective but not interfering; witnessed the moment that Aiata released her clutch of eggs to the sea, small souls out to explore, and hopefully survive, the vast world that awaited them.

The joy he felt for his friends was tinged bittersweet. He knew how harsh the world was, how many enemies awaited these tiny, new crabs without even knowing them. But this was the way of nature, and the law of Lalotai.

He had only been here a month or so. So little time, and yet so much had happened, so many things he had had to learn. He was not beholden in the same ways down here, was free to come and go and explore. He was  _free,_  in a way he had never experienced on the surface, with humans. He had his spear back. He had his  _body_  back, regrown with  _Tane’s_  magic shortly after a feast of local fruit. But even without those, he was  _whole_  in a way he hadn’t been since Hinemoa’s death, long, long ago.

Tuahangata was home.

He smiled, warm contentment filling every inch of him, as he watched his Chieftess stride proudly from the waves. Then he turned, looking back out to the wilds of Lalotai, to the new frontiers he had yet to discover. 

It was dark, and Tuahangata relaxed. A still-unfamiliar sensation prickled over his skin, and slowly, softly, his tattoos flared to life, vibrant green and pink and purple glowing in newfound bioluminescence against his skin. And on his wrist, he noticed something new: a stylized  _enata_  symbol, in a shape reminiscent of a crab.

His smile turned to a smirk, and he glanced over his shoulder back to the two affectionate crabs. No need to show this to Tamatoa, he decided.

He turned back to the wilds of Lalotai and leapt fearlessly into the night, racing through the dark of his new home. He was still learning, had much to explore, but one thing, at least, had become certain. He could still call the rains, still encourage the plants to grow, but Tuahangata was something  _more_  now.

As he ran, he counted the many sparks that he passed, the monsters of the realm that had accepted him, the peoples of the realm he  _chose_  to protect.

Because  _now,_  Tuahangata was the Demigod of Monsters.

\---

The years had crept by. Slowly.

Maui had never expected to be  _trapped_  here for so long. Surely he hadn’t been forgotten: these were busy waters, and sooner or later, he was certain, the humans would miss him and come looking. He  _had_  seen the occasional ship or voyaging canoe out on the water, but had never been able to draw their attention. Nor had he even been able to swim his way out to them. And every time he tried to simply  _swim away,_  the Ocean brought him back.

In doing so, the Ocean had  _not_  endeared itself to Maui.

His many, many days were a struggle. There was precious little to entertain himself with, and the bare rock faces of the mountain tops bore the marks of his boredom and creativity in turns.

The hardest part had been when the  _itch_  inevitably returned. There was nothing here on which to unleash his bloodlust.  _Nothing._  He had painstakingly carved images of monsters, most of them crabs, and proceeded to destroy them, but it didn’t help.

At some point, he caught himself scratching his own skin bloody. It wasn’t so much the shredded ribbons that his skin had become that hurt, even then; it was the knowing that there was  _no way to stop it.  
_

Somehow, though, Maui had managed it. Now that itch resided in the back of his mind along with his anger. Those two things were all that kept him company on this tiny speck of an island, a whispered testimony of his failure.

He wanted to go insane. There would be release in that, at least.

That was not to be his fate, however. And so he sat, night after night, watching the stars wheel overhead and waiting for winds to blow something more favorable his direction.

It was one such night that Maui sat on the beach. His face was placid, but inside his thoughts he was reliving his latest battle, mapping out ways in which he could have succeeded, rehearsing the final words he never got to say to Tamatoa when he’d had the crab by the neck.

A quiet, scuffling sound broke through his focus and caught his attention.

Maui looked down. There was a rather large hermit crab crawling its way out of the water. Absently, he bent to pick it up; it was  _new,_  something to explore for at least a few minutes before he threw it back out to sea.

But as he inspected it, he realized: this was no mortal crab. Instead, it was a tiny, miniscule monster.

It looked  _awfully_ familiar.

The little thing blinked up at him with big, glowing eyes. Maui smiled back down at it, his teeth shining a stark bone-white in the moonlight.

**The End… For Now  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note from RaptorMoon:  
> Thank you all so much for coming along with us on this wild ride! It's been such a pleasure sharing this story with you, and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. I have read each and every one of your comments throughout and they give me such a warm, happy glow - it's an indescribable feeling! Thank you all so, so much.  
> I would also like to thank my writing partner and good friend, JadeWolf, for not only indulging me in this crazy idea but also making it _better_ than I could have ever imagined! She's been such a creative genius, hauling my butt out of corners I wrote myself into, and pulling such a _tour de force_ for the ending that I was left cheering out loud!  
> Three shouts for Team Crab! Hip-hip, Hooray!
> 
> A note from JadeWolf:  
> This really has been a journey. What started off as a wild speculation about a what-if scenario last August blossomed into one of the most exciting, most fun writing projects I have ever worked on! This story took us places I never expected. It was a joy to write and a joy to share with you all! So thank you all for letting us take you on this journey with us! All your lovely comments have warmed my heart on some hard days over the past few months and I appreciate every single one. And then the fanart! Endless gratitude to the wonderful artists who have sent us beautiful art inspired by this tale. There truly is no higher compliment and I’m forever grateful! :) And finally, thank you to RaptorMoon... my brilliant friend and co-writer who never failed to keep me guessing with her most cunning of villains and who helped remind me how much I _love_ writing once again.

**Author's Note:**

> The Island of Rīpekanga:
> 
> Full Size Version Available Here: <https://sta.sh/0mn0otr9tom>


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